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Tsunami Watch for September 2009

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  • #16
    Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

    I remember the tsunami scare that had Waikiki scrambling for safety. I was working at KGU in the Waikiki Trade Center and could see the mayhem at street level. When the clocked ticked to zero and the tsunami was supposed to hit the south shores of Oahu, there was gridlock on Kalakaua, Kuhio and Ala Wai BLVD's. It seems the tour companies wanted to get their tour buses out of harms way so they krept thru the gridlock making their way Mauka on the cross streets heading to Ala Wai BLVD. What they did was effectively block all lanes on Kuhio Avenue as they got stuck crossing the intersections.

    I was supposedly was safe on the 17th floor so we were told to stay put since we were the CD station on the AM side and KAIM was the CD station for the FM side.

    As far as readiness goes, we were warned hours ago to evacuate Waikiki, but when the tsunami was supposed to hit, everybody was stuck in traffic, at sea level, inside the inundation zones. I'm talking thousands of people!
    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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    • #17
      Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

      Originally posted by Ron Whitfield View Post
      If the same occurred similarly here it would/could be more tragic, depending on the areas hit worst, and someday it will.
      It already did. Big Island, November of 1975. Two people were killed. Earthquake on or near the Big Island caused a section of land to drop, they were part of a group of people camping in the area. When they felt the ground shake they headed away from the water going uphill but then rocks were coming down at them so they went back towards the water and that's when the tsunami came ashore and swept the people away.

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      • #18
        Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

        I agree with Craig.

        I remember the last time Hawaii had a tsunami warning. The warning was sounded and everyone knew what to do. Businesses closed down, employess were told to go home and get to higher grounds. So everyone got in their cars and ... gridlock! Luckily, the tsunami that hit was less than a foot. If it was a 20 footer, everyone would have been wiped out because everyone was stuck in traffic. We do have a good warning system. It’s just that our infrastructure and evacuation plans aren’t workable. That’s why if there is a tsunami warning, I am not going to get in a car. I am going to make it to higher grounds on foot.

        Me? I was stuck at Ala Moana Shopping Center. The parking lot was crammed. No one could get out of the shopping center because the surrounding roads were jammed.

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        • #19
          Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

          Being on the upper level at AMC should be safe, unless it's catastrophic propotions that would take down highrises. Then sing a song and kiss it goodbye.

          Yes, of course we've had deadly tidal waves in Hawaii's semi-recent history, but few even remember them. It'll be all new to most.
          https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

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          • #20
            Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

            I have recollections of 2 tsunami warnings, both with gridlocks. 1986 and 1995, iirc. I was in the inundation zone for both and could not get out. I remember during '86 I lived in a home with a somewhat short, semi-circle driveway. Drivers heading mauka were panicking and using my driveway in an attempt to get 4 cars ahead! It was totally nuts. My daughter and I ended up walking a mile mauka and part way up a ridge to her friend's parents home where we hung out for most of the evening. The '95 warning I was house sitting a condo in Pualei Circle at the base of Diamond Head. I didn't even bother to leave.

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            • #21
              Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

              In the 1986 event, the siren blarred in the early afternoon, people were on the road either because they finished work, picking kids from school or trying to get to higher ground.

              TheBus was being used to ferry people out of the zones.

              For the 1995 event (I am going on tutusue's memory on the year that happened), the siren sounded in the early morning before people were showing up to work, but other people headed to the water's edge to get their boats docked at the harbor to deeper waters. For this event I stayed home and watched TV while the local news stations reported the event from various places.

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              • #22
                Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

                I remember the '86 alert, while still in Ka'a'awa near the Hwy. with a view of the shore/ocean from my bedroom window. Other than loading the van with guitars/amps and other precious items to rush up the hill in escape, we just hung out waiting for any sign of receeding water. None. It was spooky having seemingly NOBODY in the neighborhood except the
                occassional CD patrol. Even more nice and quiet tho! I was very glad that there was no problem, especially the next day when I had to actually use the van, and it wouldn't start...
                https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

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                • #23
                  Re: Tsunami Watch Hawaii (and New Zealand) September 29 2009

                  Newly released video of the tsunami hitting Samoa!
                  From this Breaking News item:

                  The Honolulu office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation today released video footage of the Sept. 29 tsunami striking the parking lot of the FBI's office in American Samoa.
                  The video was taken from a stationary security camera at the FBI Resident Agency office on the second floor of Pago Plaza in Pago Pago.
                  It shows a man walking in the lot when he sees something in the distance and turns to run.
                  Shortly after, a surge of water sweeps through the lot, lifting vehicles and washing them away.
                  The footage has been uploaded to the FBI YouTube page, and can be seen at the following link:

                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9kxh-h5uUk

                  Because of its second-floor location, the FBI office suffered only minimal damage, and the FBI continues to operate.
                  (...)
                  .
                  .

                  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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