A 6.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Ironman Hawaii site
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Ironman Hawaii site
This report filed - October 15, 2006
By Timothy Carlson
An earthquake registering 6.6 on the Richter scale struck just off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii at 7:07 AM today, according to CNN.
A few minutes later, a 5.8-magnitude aftershock struck in the same location, which according to a spokesman for the United States Geological Survey, was 10 miles north-northwest of Kailua-Kona, the central site of the October 21 Ironman Triathlon World Championship.
After assessing the post earthquake situation on site for five hours, the World Triathlon Corporation announced that there were no plans
at this time to postpone the scheduled October 21 Ironman Triathlon World Championshipin Kailua-Kona.
In a statement issued at 12:30 PM local Hawaiian time Sunday, the WTC wrote: "As an update to news reports, Ironman has been in continuous contact with state and local authorities assessing the situation from this morning's earthquake in Hawaii. Ironman's foremost mission is the safety and care of the Kona community, event volunteers and its Ironman athletes. While reports from the local/state authorities and the resort management agencies are still coming in, local daily operations are resuming and proceeding as normal. Contingency plans are in place regarding the Ford Ironman World Championship event, but at the present time, no alterations to the event or course are necessary."
The WTC added that they would closely evaluate conditions in the coming days: "We, at Ironman appreciate all the calls of support and should anything change in the next few hours or days, Ironman will release all information via the website, www.ironman.com as quickly as possible."
According to correspondent Mahea Richardson of KITV speaking on CNN, the quakes cut off power to several areas of the islands of Hawaii, Maui and 95 percent of customers on Oahu: caused landslides which affected main roads on the west side of the Big Island, including Highway 19. Officials were concerned there may be "structural integrity" problems at the hospital in Kailua-Kona, said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle in a radio interview with KSSK from Hawaii Island. New patients, she added, were being accepted but kept outside the structure.
MSNBC later reported many Kona Community Hospital patients were moved to a nearby Sheraton hotel, with some seriously ill patients moved to a sister hospital in Hilo.
The Royal Kona Resort, located half a mile from the Kailua Pier, reported significant structural damage and evacuated some guests to a nearby gym.
A resident of Kealakekua Bay reported to MSNBC that a large section of rocks from a cliff that rings the sea near Captain Cook Monument collapsed into the water, leaving a large debris cloud which lingered for several minutes. Kealakekua Bay is located about 20 miles south of Kailua-Kona.
According to initial CNN reports, air traffic at Kona's Kohala International Airport was temporarily suspended after the quake. The Honolulu International Airport was also closed for a brief period until it reopened within an hour. Three hours after the quakes hit, officials for Aloha Airlines reported that they were resuming flights.
However, four hours after the main quakes hit, the Kohala International Airport was operating on auxiliary power and officials there were urging people on the island to stay away from the airport. The airport was still receiving incoming flights.
Hawaiian civil defense offiicials urged residents to stay off the roads and avoid using telephone lines unless necessary. Local Kailua-Kona residents reported landslides blocking roads were primarily limited to higher small mountain roads and that roads in mid Kailua-Kona were unobstructed.
The initial violent shaking during the 6.3 quake on the Big Island lasted for about 15 seconds, said some witnesses commenting on CNN. The shaking lasted another 15 seconds, said witnesses. According to USGS officials speaking on MSNBC, several other aftershocks followed, measuring between 4 and 5 on the Richter scale.
No tsunami warning was issued as a result of the quake, said Dr. Stewart Weinstein, assistant director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based on Oahu. No destructive tsunamis were reported in the Hawaiian islands or elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean, said Weinstein.
This earthquake occurred three decades after the most recent powerful quake on the Big Island, a 7.2-magnitude quake in 1975 that caused a small, localized tsunami, according to Fox News.
Kailua-Kona residents speaking to MSNBC reported minor damage including a few statues toppled in St. Michael's Church, some traffic lights were knocked out, and some residents and tourists went ventured out on Alii Drive to "watch for a tsunami" which never materialized.
Gov. Linda Lingle said that she had no report of any fatalities. She said boulders fell on highways, rock walls fell down and televisions had been knocked off of stands.
On the Big Island, there was some damage in Kailua Kona and a landslide along a major highway, said Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Center.
This report filed - October 15, 2006
By Timothy Carlson
An earthquake registering 6.6 on the Richter scale struck just off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii at 7:07 AM today, according to CNN.
A few minutes later, a 5.8-magnitude aftershock struck in the same location, which according to a spokesman for the United States Geological Survey, was 10 miles north-northwest of Kailua-Kona, the central site of the October 21 Ironman Triathlon World Championship.
After assessing the post earthquake situation on site for five hours, the World Triathlon Corporation announced that there were no plans
at this time to postpone the scheduled October 21 Ironman Triathlon World Championshipin Kailua-Kona.
In a statement issued at 12:30 PM local Hawaiian time Sunday, the WTC wrote: "As an update to news reports, Ironman has been in continuous contact with state and local authorities assessing the situation from this morning's earthquake in Hawaii. Ironman's foremost mission is the safety and care of the Kona community, event volunteers and its Ironman athletes. While reports from the local/state authorities and the resort management agencies are still coming in, local daily operations are resuming and proceeding as normal. Contingency plans are in place regarding the Ford Ironman World Championship event, but at the present time, no alterations to the event or course are necessary."
The WTC added that they would closely evaluate conditions in the coming days: "We, at Ironman appreciate all the calls of support and should anything change in the next few hours or days, Ironman will release all information via the website, www.ironman.com as quickly as possible."
According to correspondent Mahea Richardson of KITV speaking on CNN, the quakes cut off power to several areas of the islands of Hawaii, Maui and 95 percent of customers on Oahu: caused landslides which affected main roads on the west side of the Big Island, including Highway 19. Officials were concerned there may be "structural integrity" problems at the hospital in Kailua-Kona, said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle in a radio interview with KSSK from Hawaii Island. New patients, she added, were being accepted but kept outside the structure.
MSNBC later reported many Kona Community Hospital patients were moved to a nearby Sheraton hotel, with some seriously ill patients moved to a sister hospital in Hilo.
The Royal Kona Resort, located half a mile from the Kailua Pier, reported significant structural damage and evacuated some guests to a nearby gym.
A resident of Kealakekua Bay reported to MSNBC that a large section of rocks from a cliff that rings the sea near Captain Cook Monument collapsed into the water, leaving a large debris cloud which lingered for several minutes. Kealakekua Bay is located about 20 miles south of Kailua-Kona.
According to initial CNN reports, air traffic at Kona's Kohala International Airport was temporarily suspended after the quake. The Honolulu International Airport was also closed for a brief period until it reopened within an hour. Three hours after the quakes hit, officials for Aloha Airlines reported that they were resuming flights.
However, four hours after the main quakes hit, the Kohala International Airport was operating on auxiliary power and officials there were urging people on the island to stay away from the airport. The airport was still receiving incoming flights.
Hawaiian civil defense offiicials urged residents to stay off the roads and avoid using telephone lines unless necessary. Local Kailua-Kona residents reported landslides blocking roads were primarily limited to higher small mountain roads and that roads in mid Kailua-Kona were unobstructed.
The initial violent shaking during the 6.3 quake on the Big Island lasted for about 15 seconds, said some witnesses commenting on CNN. The shaking lasted another 15 seconds, said witnesses. According to USGS officials speaking on MSNBC, several other aftershocks followed, measuring between 4 and 5 on the Richter scale.
No tsunami warning was issued as a result of the quake, said Dr. Stewart Weinstein, assistant director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based on Oahu. No destructive tsunamis were reported in the Hawaiian islands or elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean, said Weinstein.
This earthquake occurred three decades after the most recent powerful quake on the Big Island, a 7.2-magnitude quake in 1975 that caused a small, localized tsunami, according to Fox News.
Kailua-Kona residents speaking to MSNBC reported minor damage including a few statues toppled in St. Michael's Church, some traffic lights were knocked out, and some residents and tourists went ventured out on Alii Drive to "watch for a tsunami" which never materialized.
Gov. Linda Lingle said that she had no report of any fatalities. She said boulders fell on highways, rock walls fell down and televisions had been knocked off of stands.
On the Big Island, there was some damage in Kailua Kona and a landslide along a major highway, said Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Center.
posted by DP at 4:53 PM
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