HONOLULU, HAWAII — A strong 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula a few hours before Hawaii was put under a full tsunami warning. This caused panic and confusion across the state on Wednesday. The quake that hit early in the morning was one of the largest in decades and caused tsunami warnings to spread across the Pacific. This led to mass evacuations and images of chaos across the Hawaiian islands.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said that the earthquake happened at a shallow depth and caused tsunami waves up to 13 feet (4 meters) high that have already hit some portions of the Kamchatka shore. The ripple effect spread fast throughout the Pacific, setting off alerts and warnings on cell phones and emergency systems in Hawaii, Japan, Alaska, and areas of the U.S. West Coast. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) stated that a tsunami had formed that might devastate the coastlines of all the Hawaiian islands. They urged “urgent action… to protect lives and property.”
The possibility of damaging waves, combined with fears of a 15-foot tsunami, prompted people in Hawaii to act immediately. The emergency was very clear: roads were blocked, sirens were blaring, and groups of people were heading to higher ground. There were many real-time reports and urgent prayer requests on social media.
“My parents live right on the beach in Honolulu and are getting ready for a 15-foot tsunami to hit in two hours.” One person on X said, “Please, please keep my family in your prayers tonight.” Another person said, “This is what it looks like when you can’t get off an island as a tsunami comes.” Roads that are blocked. Sirens are shrieking. There is no way out except up. “Hawaii is under full tsunami warning.” People tweeted pictures of supermarkets being emptied as people rushed to get supplies.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency, which opened up emergency response centers at the state and local levels. He also asked people to “please take this situation seriously.” The Department of Emergency Management in Honolulu sent a strong message: “Take Action!” Tsunami waves that will cause damage are forecast. The U.S. Coast Guard also told all commercial ships to leave commercial ports around the state, and harbors were closed to ships coming in.
Maui County, which is also under a warning, found shelters all throughout the island and shuttered parks and other places in tsunami evacuation zones. Residents were told that tsunami waves can easily wrap around islands, which means that “all shores are at risk no matter which way they face.”
There have been no major casualties in Hawaii, but the chaotic images show how quickly and severely these kinds of warnings can affect people. Authorities are still watching the waves and telling people to be careful. They stress that tsunami waves can come in a sequence, and the initial wave may not be the worst.