The National Weather Service has issued a tsunami watch for the state of Hawai´i as of 9:38 am Thursday.
A magnitude-8.0 earthquake occurred at 9:28 HST in the region of the Kermadec Islands, an area in the South Pacific roughly 600 miles NE of New Zealand.
Based on all available data, a tsunami may have been generated from this earthquake, which could be destructive to coastal areas even as far away as Hawai´i.
An investigation is now underway to determine if there is a tsunami threat to the state. If a tsunami were to reach the Hawaiian Islands, the estimated time of earliest arrival of the first wave is 4:35 pm HST on Thursday, March 4.
This comments section is a public community forum for the purpose of free expression. Although Big Island Now encourages respectful communication only, some content may be considered offensive. Please view at your own discretion. View Comments
