HILO, Hawaii – On the anniversary of the April 1st tsunami that devastated East Hawaii – and on the very first day of Tsunami Awareness Month – a tsunami advisory was issued for the State of Hawaii following the magnitude 8.2 earthquake off the coast of northern Chile on Tuesday evening.
A major tsunami did not strike the State of Hawaii, nor was one expected. However, hazardous sea level changes and strong currents were expected to occur along all coasts, harbors and marinas.
Tsunami wave heights of 1.8 feet were reported in Hilo.
We found some boaters at Wailoa Small Boat Harbor, drinking beer and watching the fluctuating tides before sunrise on Wednesday. Hawaii County Civil Defense was quiet at 5:00 a.m.
Beach parks on Hawai’i Island were closed until 8 a.m. Ocean safety planned to assess the shoreline before reopening.
No watches or warnings were issued, and no evacuations were necessary.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, under a rainy Hilo sky, a remembrance and reflection was held at the Site of Shinmachi by the Wailoa Art Center.
The date of April 1st marked the 68th anniversary of the major tsunami that hit Hawaii in 1946, causing widespread damage in Hilo, killing 159 people in Hawaii.
