Solomon Island quake, Dec. 8, Hawai‘i time. NWS/NOAA/Pacific Tsunami Center image
View Meteorologist Malika Dudley FaceBook video post here.
UPDATE 1 from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, 10:32 am.
The Tsunami Watch issued for Hawaii was canceled shortly before 9 this morning, Hawai‘i time.The watch was issued following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake
The watch was issued following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake along the fault line near the Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency was partially activated following the quake. Operations have since returned to normal.
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A Tsunami Watch is issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) to alert emergency management officials and the public of an event which may impact the state.
At this level, emergency management officials and the public should prepare to take action.
A Tsunami Advisory is issued when updated information has been received that there is a potential for strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or in close proximity to the ocean.
A Tsunami Warning is issued when a tsunami with the potential to generate widespread inundation is imminent, expected, or occurring. Warnings alert the public that dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by powerful currents is possible and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.
“Whenever severe weather or seismic events are occurring, it’s important for all of us to know where to go, what to do, and when to do it,” said Vern Miyagi, administrator of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency. “Get ahead of the situation and be prepared. We should know whether or not we live or work in tsunami evacuation zones, and have plans for efficient evacuation of ourselves, our workers, and our families.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has cancelled an earlier tsunami watch issued for Hawai‘i, effective at 8:36 a.m., due to a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit near the Solomon Islands this morning.
The quake struck at 4.38 a.m. on Friday (local time), Dec. 9, (Thursday, Dec. 8,
7:39 a.m. HST)at a depth of 30 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
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It was initially reported to be of magnitude 8.0.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami warning in a wide area of the South Pacific, however.
“Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae,” the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said.
A tsunami watch was issued for the state of Hawaiʻi at 7:39 a.m. HST on Thursday, Dec. 8.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that based on all available data, a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake, that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter.
After an investigation, it was determined that there is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi.
If tsunami waves had impacted Hawaiʻi, the estimated earliest arrival of the first tsunami wave would have been at 2:56 p.m. HST today.
The EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME – 0739 AM HST 08 DEC 2016
COORDINATES – 10.7 SOUTH 161.4 EAST
LOCATION – SOLOMON ISLANDS
MAGNITUDE – 7.8 MOMENT
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