FA+
Shop
Tsunami warning recap
16 years ago
General
I originally posted this in my LJ Saturday evening... posting it here for those who don't have LJ access.
=-=-=-=-=-=
Friday, approx 7pm - Arrive home after working a 12-hour shift and running some errands. Collapse on the bed, exhausted.
11:30pm (approx) - Wake up, out of curiosity check the news sites to see what's going on. In the corner of one of the sites' links I see a link to an article talking about the Pacific being on a tsunami alert after a major earthquake in Chile. Curious, I check the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)'s website, which says that PTWC has issued an Expanding Regional Warning. The warning includes Chile and Peru and places Hawaii in a "Tsunami Advisory" status. This means that Hawaii could be placed into a Tsunami Watch or Tsunami Warning later on if the danger materializes.
Sat, 12:30am - Check PTWC's website. No change. The information is supposed to update once an hour so I decide to check again at the top of the hour.
12:50am - Check PTWC's website again. The display banner reads, "Widespread Warning, Watch or Advisory in Effect," meaning that PTWC has issued a Pacific-wide Tsunami Warning. The bulletin says that Hawaii should expect its first tsunami wave arrival around 11:17am Saturday. I post the tsunami warning bulletin in my LJ and Facebook, and monitor news for updates.
1:10am - News reports begin to filter in about the warning. Turn on radio. Nothing yet.
1:45am - Updated message on PTWC's web site continues the tsunami warning and posts additional information (tide gauge information). KSSK-FM announces the warning then continues to play music.
2:45am - Updated PTWC message appears continuing the warning for Hawaii and updating tide station information. KSSK announces that Civil Defense sirens will be sounded at 6am. I try to get at least a nap in before I have to get up for work.
3:30am - Alarm goes off telling me to get ready to work a day shift (5am-5pm). Get up and get ready (use the litterbox first).
4:15am - Head to work with a quick stop at Mickey D's to pick up breakfast.
4:40am - Arrive at work and get turnover brief. Turn on TV to get the latest updates. News reiterates the tsunami warning message and confirms siren sounding at 6am.
6:00am - Civil Defense sirens sound statewide. Siren is audible on TV during an interview with a PTWC representative.
7:00am - Second sounding of CD sirens. News continues to update information on the earthquake, tsunami, impacts (run on gas stations and supermarkets) and police activity. Traffic is complicated because there was a fatality on the freeway around 4:45am that closed part of the freeway. Leave voicemail for my brother to let him know I'm at work and fine. At some point during the morning, the first wave arrival time is revised for 11:05am.
8:00am - No siren sounding. Check cell phone voicemail. Talk to [info]krag_carbine and [info]hakeber, update them on what I know.
9:00am - CD sirens sound again. More updates on the news. Roads in evacuation zones are scheduled to be cleared at 10am.
10:00am - Roads in evacuation/inundation zones closed by police.
10:30am - Sirens sound again. I go outside to try to hear them and hear them faintly.
11:05am - Sirens sound (late) for the final time. Estimated arrival of the first wave on the Big Island. Eyes are glued to the TV. There's some activity in Hilo Bay that quickly translates to a rapid fall, then rapid rise of water, though nothing is inundated.
11:30am - Rapid fall/rise of water is reported on other islands, including Oahu. News updates information. I update Facebook as much as possible as events unfold.
1:46pm - Tsunami warning cancelled for Hawaii (still in effect for Japan and Russia), emergency over.
=-=-=-=-=-=
Friday, approx 7pm - Arrive home after working a 12-hour shift and running some errands. Collapse on the bed, exhausted.
11:30pm (approx) - Wake up, out of curiosity check the news sites to see what's going on. In the corner of one of the sites' links I see a link to an article talking about the Pacific being on a tsunami alert after a major earthquake in Chile. Curious, I check the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)'s website, which says that PTWC has issued an Expanding Regional Warning. The warning includes Chile and Peru and places Hawaii in a "Tsunami Advisory" status. This means that Hawaii could be placed into a Tsunami Watch or Tsunami Warning later on if the danger materializes.
Sat, 12:30am - Check PTWC's website. No change. The information is supposed to update once an hour so I decide to check again at the top of the hour.
12:50am - Check PTWC's website again. The display banner reads, "Widespread Warning, Watch or Advisory in Effect," meaning that PTWC has issued a Pacific-wide Tsunami Warning. The bulletin says that Hawaii should expect its first tsunami wave arrival around 11:17am Saturday. I post the tsunami warning bulletin in my LJ and Facebook, and monitor news for updates.
1:10am - News reports begin to filter in about the warning. Turn on radio. Nothing yet.
1:45am - Updated message on PTWC's web site continues the tsunami warning and posts additional information (tide gauge information). KSSK-FM announces the warning then continues to play music.
2:45am - Updated PTWC message appears continuing the warning for Hawaii and updating tide station information. KSSK announces that Civil Defense sirens will be sounded at 6am. I try to get at least a nap in before I have to get up for work.
3:30am - Alarm goes off telling me to get ready to work a day shift (5am-5pm). Get up and get ready (use the litterbox first).
4:15am - Head to work with a quick stop at Mickey D's to pick up breakfast.
4:40am - Arrive at work and get turnover brief. Turn on TV to get the latest updates. News reiterates the tsunami warning message and confirms siren sounding at 6am.
6:00am - Civil Defense sirens sound statewide. Siren is audible on TV during an interview with a PTWC representative.
7:00am - Second sounding of CD sirens. News continues to update information on the earthquake, tsunami, impacts (run on gas stations and supermarkets) and police activity. Traffic is complicated because there was a fatality on the freeway around 4:45am that closed part of the freeway. Leave voicemail for my brother to let him know I'm at work and fine. At some point during the morning, the first wave arrival time is revised for 11:05am.
8:00am - No siren sounding. Check cell phone voicemail. Talk to [info]krag_carbine and [info]hakeber, update them on what I know.
9:00am - CD sirens sound again. More updates on the news. Roads in evacuation zones are scheduled to be cleared at 10am.
10:00am - Roads in evacuation/inundation zones closed by police.
10:30am - Sirens sound again. I go outside to try to hear them and hear them faintly.
11:05am - Sirens sound (late) for the final time. Estimated arrival of the first wave on the Big Island. Eyes are glued to the TV. There's some activity in Hilo Bay that quickly translates to a rapid fall, then rapid rise of water, though nothing is inundated.
11:30am - Rapid fall/rise of water is reported on other islands, including Oahu. News updates information. I update Facebook as much as possible as events unfold.
1:46pm - Tsunami warning cancelled for Hawaii (still in effect for Japan and Russia), emergency over.
