Pacific Islands: PINA and Pacific
Wednesday: May 3, 2006
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cancelled its statewide tsunami advisory at 7:39 a.m. today, reports The Honolulu Advertiser.
Based on all available data, there was no tsunami threat to Hawai'i, the center said.
Some coastal areas could still experience small sea level changes and strong and unusual currents that could begin as early as 11:33 a.m. and last several hours.
Barry Hirshorn, a staff geophysicist, said a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Tonga at 5:27 a.m. Hawaii time appeared to generate a localized tsunami "about a half-meter" high near Tonga.
He said that experts at the center have concluded there is no tsunami damage threat to Hawaii and have not received any reports of damage in Tonga or elsewhere.
The temblor, classified by the U.S. Geologic Service as a "great" quake, struck 95 miles south of Neiafu, Tonga, and 1,340 miles north-northeast of Auckland, New Zealand. It occurred 20 miles beneath the sea floor.
A police officer in Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, said there were no immediate reports of damage or a tsunami. Another officer in Neiafu, 180 miles to the north, said the quake was felt for about 90 seconds.
"It was strong but not long," duty constable Salesi Baongo said. Asked whether the tsunami warning had been received, Baongo said, "No, we haven't heard about it."
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it was not known whether the quake generated a potentially deadly giant wave. It issued the warning for Tonga, Niue, American Samoa, Samoa, Wallis-Futuna, Fiji.
A tsunami advisory was issued for Hawaii, but the warning center said the earthquake, based on historical records, was not sufficient to generate a tsunami damaging to the Pacific coasts of the United States and Canada, and Alaska. Some areas may experience small sea-level changes.
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cancelled its statewide tsunami advisory at 7:39 a.m. today, reports The Honolulu Advertiser.
Based on all available data, there was no tsunami threat to Hawai'i, the center said.
Some coastal areas could still experience small sea level changes and strong and unusual currents that could begin as early as 11:33 a.m. and last several hours.
Barry Hirshorn, a staff geophysicist, said a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Tonga at 5:27 a.m. Hawaii time appeared to generate a localized tsunami "about a half-meter" high near Tonga.
He said that experts at the center have concluded there is no tsunami damage threat to Hawaii and have not received any reports of damage in Tonga or elsewhere.
The temblor, classified by the U.S. Geologic Service as a "great" quake, struck 95 miles south of Neiafu, Tonga, and 1,340 miles north-northeast of Auckland, New Zealand. It occurred 20 miles beneath the sea floor.
A police officer in Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa, said there were no immediate reports of damage or a tsunami. Another officer in Neiafu, 180 miles to the north, said the quake was felt for about 90 seconds.
"It was strong but not long," duty constable Salesi Baongo said. Asked whether the tsunami warning had been received, Baongo said, "No, we haven't heard about it."
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it was not known whether the quake generated a potentially deadly giant wave. It issued the warning for Tonga, Niue, American Samoa, Samoa, Wallis-Futuna, Fiji.
A tsunami advisory was issued for Hawaii, but the warning center said the earthquake, based on historical records, was not sufficient to generate a tsunami damaging to the Pacific coasts of the United States and Canada, and Alaska. Some areas may experience small sea-level changes.
posted by DP at 2:13 PM
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