David San Miyashiro was at home on the 31st floor of his Honolulu apartment when his phone buzzed with a tsunami warning following a significant earthquake in the Pacific. The call to action was serious, yet, perhaps unusually, he decided to drive to pick up his father instead of rushing away.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for him to hit a wall of traffic in Kakaako. After struggling for about an hour to move just a few blocks, he decided to abandon his car, opting instead to walk around with his preschool son.
The tsunami resulting from the 8.8 magnitude earthquake near the Russian Peninsula caused minimal damage. Still, officials noted that the timing was particularly challenging: the earthquake struck during the afternoon rush hour, which complicated evacuations due to considerable traffic congestion.
“It was definitely a wake-up call,” Sun-Miyashiro reflected. “In densely populated areas, if everyone tries to leave at once, it can paralyze the situation.”
Issues with Evacuations
Some tourists, instead of heading to safer floors in their hotels as mandated by their evacuation plan, opted to seek higher ground in the hills. Others decided to make last-minute store runs, while many rushed home after work to grab personal items before evacuating.
Officials, like Molly Pierce from the Oahu Emergency Management Agency, expressed concern about the confusion surrounding the evacuation. “They may not clearly understand the need to leave,” she noted, as there are different evacuation zones with varying levels of urgency.
Misunderstandings and Mistimed Moves
Ed Sniffen, head of the state Department of Transport, mentioned he stands by the decision to issue multiple warnings. However, he acknowledged a need for better public education. “People filled that extra time with unnecessary actions,” he said. “Instead of staying put, some left safe areas to grab gas or items from Costco, clogging up the paths for those who truly needed to exit.”
State officials also recognized that tourists should be informed about simpler options, like walking inland to safety.
Assemblyman Adrian Tam raised concerns about the logistics in tourist-heavy areas like Waikiki, emphasizing the need for better organization. “It’s a warning that we need to think about how to manage these situations better,” he remarked, adding that he was relieved the situation wasn’t worse.
Warnings Are Common in Hawaii
Hawaii is positioned in the center of the Pacific plate, meaning that the earthquakes there don’t typically result in significant tsunamis. Most of the tsunamis affecting Hawaii come from distant quakes, allowing for several hours of preparation time.
On Tuesday, officials also considered the recent devastating wildfires in Lahaina, ensuring critical routes were open for evacuation, including a private road sometimes referred to as “Oprah’s Road.”
Personal Experiences
Jake Bacon, a photographer visiting from Arizona, faced a lengthy delay due to traffic while trying to reach a hospital. After spending over an hour in gridlock, his family ended up sleeping in a Safeway parking lot for convenience. Yet, he was surprised by the orderly nature of the evacuation, especially compared to what he had seen during wildfire evacuations.
“The car horns didn’t blare,” Bacon noted. Reflecting on the collective anxiety, he said, “People seemed aware of the impending threat yet remained patient.” It was a snapshot of calm amidst uncertainty, highlighting how individuals can react in the face of imminent danger.
