Tsunami waves are now impacting Hawaii, with authorities urging residents to take urgent action to protect lives and property as the danger may persist for hours.
A 6-foot wave passed through Midway Atoll, the island between Japan and Hawaii, measuring from trough to peak, Hawaii Governor Josh Green said. The wave height represents the full vertical distance of the tsunami surge.
“We’re still expecting a significant wave,” Green said, adding officials would only sound the all-clear when they felt there was “total safety” for residents.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed waves were striking the Hawaiian islands in its latest update, maintaining warnings across the region.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said the city remained under a full tsunami alert, calling for people in low-lying areas to move to higher ground immediately.
The waves stem from an 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula earlier, generating tsunami warnings across the Pacific basin.
Authorities continue monitoring wave heights and coastal impacts as the tsunami progresses through the Hawaiian island chain.
(information from The Guardian)
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