Preparing for Tsunami

The devastation in Chile looks a lot like the devastation I lived thru during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. Collpased freeways, fires, cracked streets...I feel their pain. Ours was a 6.9 while this Chile was 8.8, which is roughly 600 times the amount of energy we saw.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning — its highest alert — for Hawaii, where incoming waves could cause damage along the coastlines across the island chain. A warning was also in effect for Guam, American Samoa and dozens of other Pacific islands.

The first waves were expected to arrive in Hawaii at 11:19 a.m. Saturday (4:19 p.m. EST).

A lower-grade tsunami advisory was in effect for the coast of California, and an Alaskan coastal area from Kodiak to Attu islands. Authorities in Australia did not issue a warning, but asked residents to stay away from the coast.

The Ewa Beach, Hawaii-based center called for "urgent action to protect lives and property" in Hawaii, which is among 53 nations and territories subject to tsunami warnings.

"The main thing is we want everyone to take this event seriously," said Charles McCreery, director of the center.

According to the latest warning, my daughters' part of the coast (Santa Cruz) will be seeing this at about 1:30 p.m PST...expected to be about 2.6 feet higher surf...

PERSONS IN TSUNAMI ADVISORY AREAS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE
WATER... OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS.

TSUNAMI ADVISORIES MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO PERSONS IN OR VERY NEAR
WATER IS IMMINENT OF EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION
IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS IN AN ADVISORY. TSUNAMIS ARE A SERIES OF
WAVES POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERAL HOURS AFTER INITIAL ARRIVAL
TIME. ESTIMATED TIMES OF INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL FOR SELECTED
SITES IN THE ADVISORY ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

LA JOLLA-CA      1202  PST FEB 27 
SANTA BARBARA-CA 1231  PST FEB 27 

SAN FRANCISCO-CA 1326  PST FEB 27 
CRESCENT CITY-CA 1346  PST FEB 27 
CHARLESTON-OR    1402  PST FEB 27  
SEASIDE-OR       1446  PST FEB 27  
NEAH BAY-WA      1507  PST FEB 27 
FOR ARRIVAL TIMES AT ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS SEE
WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV