Big Earthquake, Tsunami Warnings

From the Honolulu Advertiser:

Tsunami warning sirens have sounded across Hawaii and people in inundation zones should  evacuate immediately, officials said. The tsunami warning was issued for Hawaii in the wake of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake off British Columbia tonight.

State Civil Defense is urging residents to move to higher ground if they are in a tsunami evacuation zone. The first waves could arrive as soon as 10:28 p.m., said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach.

Officials warn that there could be several waves and waves could still impact the islands hours after the initial wave.

The center is predicting wave heights of 3 to 6 feet in some locations. The biggest waves are expected in Hilo, Kahului, Haleiwa and Hanalei. Kahului could get 6-foot waves or surges, officials said.

"It now looks like we'll be up over danger levels," said Chip McCreary, the director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Danger level is considered about 3 feet about sea level.

McCreary said the waves will be smaller than the waves that hit Hawaii from last year's Japan earthquake.

The  entire north shore of all islands and windward side of Oahu could see some tsunami impact. McCreery said Kahului is their biggest worry....

 John Cummings, spokesman for the city Department of Emergency Management, said residents along coastlines can also vertically evacuate if they are in a concrete- or steel-reinforced structure of six or more stories.

Cummings said residents should evacuate to the third floor or higher. He also said it's unclear how severe the tsunami may be. "We could have a big wave or we could have six-inch wave. We just don't know yet," he said. "This is an unusual area for us to have a tsunami come from."

He warned that all shorelines are expected to be affected by waves because of a "wraparound effect." Meanwhile, police have begun to close roads, blocking entry to coastal areas.

Cummings said there are reports of "really bad" traffic in some areas, apparently as residents evacuate from shorelines. He said it appears people who need not evacuate are also getting on roadways.  http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/176136301.html?id=176136301

I'm watching CNN and Fox News and we are seeing a huge traffic jam in Honolulu and baby waves are hitting the coast.

They are predicting 3-6 foot waves, but right now, the waves are smaller than a baby doing a cannon ball dive from a diving board, in a swimming pool.

My guess is that nothing is going to happen.