Fomer Bay area residents describe Hawaii earthquake
A strong earthquake triggered more confusion than fear for some former Bay area residents who now call Hawaii home.
"There was a rumbling at first. It felt like somebody was walking on our roof,” said Julie Rich. ”Just when we looked at each other to figure out was that an earthquake, the second wave came."
Having grown up in Pinellas County, Julie Rich never experienced an earthquake before.
"You could feel the sway. You could see things in the room moving. You could hear pictures on the wall moving back and forth from the vibrations," Rich said.
The quake hit just after 7:00 Sunday morning, about 10 miles off the coast of the big island. Former Tampa resident Anelyn Delmonte-Purifoy says it lasted less than a minute.
"My husband and I were in the bed together and literally saw each other's faces swaying side to side. The house literally looked like it was bending or waving," she said.
Residents are coping with widespread power outages. A landslide has blocked a major highway. There are no reports of any deaths, but local hospitals are dealing with patients with cuts and broken bones.
"I was more fascinated about what was going on and he(my husband) was more about our safety, getting downstairs into a doorframe into something more stable away from the windows," said Rich.
People are being told to stay at home and off the roads. Hololulu International Airport has been closed. Former Bay area residents, used to preparing for hurricanes, admit they now feel rather vulnerable in the wake of an unpredictable earthquake.
Hawaii's governor has declared a state of emergency. She toured the area by helicopter on Sunday and says there has been damage to buildings and roads.
"There was a rumbling at first. It felt like somebody was walking on our roof,” said Julie Rich. ”Just when we looked at each other to figure out was that an earthquake, the second wave came."
Having grown up in Pinellas County, Julie Rich never experienced an earthquake before.
"You could feel the sway. You could see things in the room moving. You could hear pictures on the wall moving back and forth from the vibrations," Rich said.
The quake hit just after 7:00 Sunday morning, about 10 miles off the coast of the big island. Former Tampa resident Anelyn Delmonte-Purifoy says it lasted less than a minute.
"My husband and I were in the bed together and literally saw each other's faces swaying side to side. The house literally looked like it was bending or waving," she said.
Residents are coping with widespread power outages. A landslide has blocked a major highway. There are no reports of any deaths, but local hospitals are dealing with patients with cuts and broken bones.
"I was more fascinated about what was going on and he(my husband) was more about our safety, getting downstairs into a doorframe into something more stable away from the windows," said Rich.
People are being told to stay at home and off the roads. Hololulu International Airport has been closed. Former Bay area residents, used to preparing for hurricanes, admit they now feel rather vulnerable in the wake of an unpredictable earthquake.
Hawaii's governor has declared a state of emergency. She toured the area by helicopter on Sunday and says there has been damage to buildings and roads.
posted by ams at 12:02 PM
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