Tsunami

Tsunami was Originally Posted on February 27, 2010 by

I saw the reports last night (before going to bed) and our tsunami is expected here on the Big Island at 11:05 this morning. Although we don’t expect major problems, we are evacuating resorts and beaches. We had about 12 hours notice and are well prepared out here, having had a few of these tsunamis already.

The phone books contain tsunami and evacuation instructions and most large codos and all resorts have emergency instructions.

As I type this, the tsunami sirens near the coast are sounding. It would be difficult for visitors anywhere near the ocean to not know this is coming!

There will be some who want to tempt fate and get near the ocean; there always are people like that. However, to do that is foolish.

I will be heading into town soon to care for some dogs.

My island will get the wave first, and then it will be another 30 minutes or so before it hits Honolulu. The wave traveling about the speed of an airplane.

I hear that my island is in the way of the wave as it travels from chile to Honolulu and this island (the one called Hawaii) may shield the other islands from some of the waves. Remember that this is not just one wave and it is not like regular ocean waves. There will be massive currents and “rip tides” generated.

Unlike earthquakes, we have a nice long advance warning and we are pretty well prepared for things like this.

There are a number of webcams around the state and you may be able to watch live.

I was going to try to record some video, but there will be so many other people who will be taking videos that I think I’ll pass.

So I’m fine and I hope that my neighbors remain that way too.