A widespread tsunami warning is in effect for much of the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, where authorities have warned damage could occur along the coasts of all islands.
Warning sirens sounded across Oahu just before 10 p.m. local time. Waves of up to 2 meters above sea level could hit Hawaii just before 3 a.m, or about 5 a.m. Pacific time, Chip McCreary of the the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center told reporters.
"These are not like surf waves," he said. "These waves effectively wrap around islands so all coasts will be affected."
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center officials warned that "urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property. Tsunami waves effectively wrap around islands. All shores are at risk no matter which direction they face."
The massive tsunami, generated in the wake of an 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of
Japan, appears to be threatening many Pacific rim countries including
Russia,
Taiwan,
Australia,
New Zealand, Central America, South America and
Antarctica.
No warning was in effect for the U.S. West Coast, including California.
Tsunamis are a series of long ocean waves, and each wave crest can last five to 15 minutes or more and inundate coastal areas, the warning center said.
"The trough of a tsunami wave may temporarily expose the seafloor but the area will quickly flood again," the warning center said.
Television images have already shown significant tsunami damage in Japan, inundating farmland, structures, and automobiles along the Japanese coast. As the tsunami hit land there, mud-colored water swept cars, roofs and churning debris across fields and flatlands. News footage shot from from the air captured vehicles fleeing ahead of massive sheets of water that carried burning structures along on the surface. The tsunami overtook homes and roads, showing little sign of ebbing.
A list of all countries contained in the tsunami warning are listed below:
Japan, Russia, Marcus Is., N. Marianas, Guam, Wake Is., Taiwan,
Yap, Philippines, Marshall Is., Belau, Midway Is., Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Johnston Is., Solomon Is., Kiribati, Howland-baker, Hawaii, Tuvalu, Palmyra Is., Vanuatu, Tokelau, Jarvis Is., Wallis-futuna, Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Tonga, Mexico, Kermadec is, Fr.
Polynesia, New Zealand, Pitcairn, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Antarctica, Panama, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru.
Dalam masa yang sama, beberapa anggota polis sedang mengambil kenyataan-kenyataan dari gadis yang sedang berbaris itu. Apabila sampai giliran mendapatkan kenyataan orang terakhir, dia terkejut kerana tercegat seorang nenek yang bongkok tiga macam tiada kudrat sedang berdiri sambil tersengih. Polis itu tercengang lalu tertanya, “Kamu ni nenek tua, bagaimana kamu lakukannya?” Si nenek (menyangka soalan itu ditanya tentang bagaimana dia boleh makan oren itu) Nenek itu pun menjawab, “Oh senang je. Saya hanya cabut gigi palsu dan mula sedut sampai airnya kering.” heheheheehehe
