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Tag: hawaii tsunami, hawaii, hawaii tsunami warning, cnn, hawaii weather

Today is the first day first day of Spring Break for my oldest daughter’s school. And not that we ever go anywhere exotic, but thank goodness we’re not in Hawaii where the big news is that tsunami waves generated by the recent earthquake in Japan are starting to hit the islands. Kauai was the first one affected.

The waves are expected to hit the contiguous United States between 11:00 to 11:30 am EST — a little under three hours as I type. People who live near the beach in Santa Barbara county are being warned to head toward higher ground.

The tsunami has already slammed into the eastern coast of Japan, where, according to an AP, it swept away “boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control.” It’s traveling at 500 miles per hour.

The tsunami was generated by the massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake that recently struck Japan and has people in its path busy in preparation and fearful for their safety.

According to Chip McCreery, director for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center: “[Tsunami waves are] going to be coming in with high currents, they can pick up boulders from the sea floor … they can pick up cars, they can pick up fuel tanks, those things become battering rams and so it just amplifies the destruction in a big tsunami.”

The spokesman for the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, John Cummings III said, “We’re preparing for the worst and praying for the best.”

We, too, are praying for the best and will keep you posted on further developments.

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Tag: cnn, earthquake, earthquake in japan today, japan earthquake, earthquake in japan 2011

TOKYO – A massive tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 40 people were killed and 39 missing after the magnitude 8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami. The quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. The death toll was likely to continue climbing given the scale of the disaster.

Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Japan issued a state of emergency at a nuclear power plant after its cooling system had a mechanical failure. Trouble was reported at two other nuclear plants as well but there was no radiation leak at any.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the measure at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima was a precaution and that the facility was not in immediate danger.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions because of the tsunami that crashed ashore, swallowing everything on its way as it marched several miles (kilometers) inland before retreating.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses or scraping under them, snapping power lines along the way. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water. Ships anchored in ports crashed against each other.

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Tag: japan earthquake, japan, cnn, japan tsunami, japan earthquake today

TOKYO – A massive tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 40 people were killed and 39 missing after the magnitude 8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami. The quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. The death toll was likely to continue climbing given the scale of the disaster.

Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Japan issued a state of emergency at a nuclear power plant after its cooling system had a mechanical failure. Trouble was reported at two other nuclear plants as well but there was no radiation leak at any.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the measure at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima was a precaution and that the facility was not in immediate danger.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions because of the tsunami that crashed ashore, swallowing everything on its way as it marched several miles (kilometers) inland before retreating.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses or scraping under them, snapping power lines along the way. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water. Ships anchored in ports crashed against each other.

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Tag: tsunami in japan,cnn, tsunami, tsunami in japan today, earthquake in japan, tsunami in japan 2011

This morning an unprecedented message appeared on Google’s home page (in every country): “Tsunami Alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and others. Waves expected over the next few hours, caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan.” No link – it is just a bare text message. It immediately clues you into the fact that something huge is happening. This is what the tsunami looked like when it hit the airport:

“Video of cars, ships wrecked by tsunami waves after Japan earthquake”:

From the video’s description: “The government has confirmed 23 deaths, with the number expected to rise. It follows the 8.9-magnitude earthquake which sent a 4-metre (13 feet) wall of water inland across the Miyagi prefecture . There’s considerable destruction – 200 people have been washed away. Buildings, cars and ships were also swept by the raging waters.”

The facts:

1) It was initially reported as a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. Overnight it has been upgraded several times to the 8.9 reported by Google.

2) The earthquake’s epicenter was off the eastern coast of Japan as shown in this map, which also shows tsunami risk all around Japan. In the following map, the epicenter was approximately 80 miles off the coast near

ndtv live, bbc news, japan earthquake, cnn, times now

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TOKYO – A massive tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 40 people were killed and 39 missing after the magnitude 8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami. The quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. The death toll was likely to continue climbing given the scale of the disaster.

Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Japan issued a state of emergency at a nuclear power plant after its cooling system had a mechanical failure. Trouble was reported at two other nuclear plants as well but there was no radiation leak at any.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the measure at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima was a precaution and that the facility was not in immediate danger.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions because of the tsunami that crashed ashore, swallowing everything on its way as it marched several miles (kilometers) inland before retreating.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses or scraping under them, snapping power lines along the way. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water. Ships anchored in ports crashed against each other.