Tsunami Warning

[Warren Kawamoto]

I subscribe to https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/
which emails me when an earthquake bigger than 6.0 occurs around the Pacific rim. This afternoon, while shooting a wedding, I received an email about a 7.7 that occurred around Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada. I wondered if that was enough to trigger a tsunami, but didn't worry about it. At 8pm, the photographer came up to me and asked if I knew anything about a tsunami that was going to hit at 10:28pm I told him I only knew about an earthquake in Canada. He said civil defense just issued a warning for Hawaii. During the best man's speech, my sister called, saying there was a tsunami warning, and that I should get away from Waikiki Beach. Would you drop your equipment and run? Or continue shooting? The tsunami warning sirens began wailing outside the hotel, which was situated directly on the beach. The best man continued his speech, but hotel's banquet manager went up to him and stopped him. She announced that a tsunami warning had been issued, and that the hotel needs to be evacuated! Hotel guests could evacuate by going up to their rooms and staying there, but if we had a car parked, it needed to be moved out of the basement. I packed up my gear as quickly as possible and dreaded the traffic. The traffic wasn't too bad, I got home in 30 minutes. We watched the tsunami hit Hawaii on live tv, the wave was only about a foot high. Better safe than sorry, I guess, but I feel bad for the couple, they didn't even cut their cake!

[Noa Put]

Would you drop your equipment and run?

Definetely, yes, no event is worth my own life, it baffles me that the best man just continued his speech when the warning sirens went of, think the whole world knows by now what a tsunami is capable off. If I would live in a tsunami risk area a warning siren would be like start shot for a 100 meter sprint for me.

[Chris Harding]

Hey Warren

Thank goodness for that!! You can always buy new gear but you cannot replace Warren!!

Hope their are no more aftershocks that cause anymore hassles!

Chris

[Warren Kawamoto]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

it baffles me that the best man just continued his speech when the warning sirens went of, think the whole world knows by now what a tsunami is capable of.

I was thinking that maybe he didn't hear the siren, it wasn't too loud with the ballroom doors closed. The warning went off around 8pm, and the first wave was estimated to arrive at 10:28pm. There was lots of time. I've been through 5 tsunami warnings, and experienced 3 major quakes greater than 7.0 in my lifetime. (I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, with active volcanoes) so I wasn't worried too much. The quake was also less than 8. What worried me the most was if the streets were gridlocked or not. A lot of people start shopping for emergency groceries and gas when a warning goes off, and that creates problems around the island.