Tsunami alerts have been issued for Hawaii, the U.S West Coast and Alaska as well as Japan the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam, Peru and the Galapagos Islands, and parts of China following a massive earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Russia.
The Department Of Emergency Management for Hawaii’s main island of Oahu, which is home to the state capital of Honolulu, issued a warning at 6.15pm (9.15 pm PT) warning people in the city and surrounding areas to get to “higher elevations”.
It said the first waves were expected to arrive around 7.17pm local time, 11.17pm PT. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported around that time that a 5.7ft wave on had been recorded on Maui, while a 4.9ft (1.5m) was recorded in Hailo, Hawaii.
“This is a moment in time when people need to prioritize the safety of their families,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi from the City and County of Honolulu’s Emergency Operations Center.
“We need everyone to take this situation seriously, act accordingly, evacuate inundation zones, and listen to first responders. We are asking everyone to remain calm and be safe. Mahalo.”
The U.S. National Weather Service issued a wider Tsunami warning which also included portions of Alaska, Guam, American Samoa, and the West Coast of the U.S.
It called on people on the West Coast to avoid beaches, harbours and marinas, with waves expected to reach San Francisco and California in the early hours of the morning.
U.S. President Donald Trump also issued an warning on his realDonaldTrump handle, calling on people to visit the country’s Tsunami control for updates.
