A powerful 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck in the waters off the Russian Far East, triggering the risk of a tsunami. As a result, Hawaii, located in the central Pacific in the United States, issued an urgent evacuation order for residents and tourists on Tuesday, July 29th. The evacuation caused a significant traffic jam as a large number of vehicles rushed out of Waikiki Beach on Oahu Island, with long lines forming at gas stations in Honolulu. Some cruise ships were forced to turn back, flights were suspended, and a large number of tourists were stranded on the island.
Governor of Hawaii Josh Green warned that a tsunami could “surround the entire island” and urged residents to evacuate to higher ground. Emergency shelters were opened on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Counties to provide refuge for the public.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi called on residents to stay calm and evacuate to safer, higher ground as soon as possible. He emphasized that these measures were precautionary to provide early warnings to the public, giving everyone enough time to seek safety and avoid unnecessary panic. The mayor also reminded drivers to be cautious while facing “continuous traffic jams” during the evacuation.
A resident told CNN, “The roads are heavily congested right now, with almost only one passageway available, creating a standstill traffic situation.”
After the evacuation order was announced by the Hawaii state government, major congestion occurred on the H-1 Interstate Highway in Honolulu with long queues forming at several gas stations.
The tsunami warning in Hawaii stated that within the next few hours, coastal areas in the northern Hawaiian Islands may experience tsunami waves exceeding normal tide levels by over 3 meters (10 feet).
The Hawaii Tourism Authority instructed major hotels and resorts to relocate guests to higher floors, and in necessary cases, to close facilities and evacuate guests. The Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua Bay temporarily closed due to the tsunami warning and evacuated guests to Kealakehe High School inland.
Due to the traffic congestion, businesses indicated that it might take longer to evacuate guests.
During the evacuation, the Coast Guard ordered all commercial ships to leave local commercial ports. Jeffrey Booker, a visitor from Florida, was stranded in Hawaii due to the sudden tsunami warning. He was supposed to depart on the “Pride Of America” cruise ship but missed the vessel as he was on a mountain sightseeing tour and couldn’t return to the port in time for the ship’s final departure deadline at 4 pm.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines have suspended flights to Hawaii.
Tracking data showed that on Tuesday evening, flights from Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco, and San Diego heading to Hawaii all returned to their original airports.
The Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency predicted that the tsunami would first impact the coasts of Kauai Island and then reach the Big Island within approximately 20 to 30 minutes. The National Guard has been placed on standby, ready to respond with various emergency actions before the tsunami strikes.
(This article was referenced from reports by CNN and NBC)