An Australian paddleboarder in Hawaii said he and a group of mates moved to higher ground and are hunkering down in a high-rise apartment after tsunami sirens started blaring on the beach.
Charlie Verco, 24, from Bondi, was due to fly home tomorrow but is concerned flights off the island of O’ahu may be impacted by the tsunami warning, which has extended to every Hawaiian island.
A tsunami has already hit coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido after a powerful, 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia.
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“We were on the shore on Diamond Head and got evacuated,” Charlie told 9news.com.au.
“I was with some locals when the alerts came out and they said it happens often, but after they made some calls they think this one could be serious.”
Charlie is in Hawaii after winning the world championships board race.
His brother George said he saw people “panic buying” water after the evacuation notice was issued.
He said some surfers were still taking to the waves despite the warning.
O’ahu local Naomi said the community was taking it “a little more seriously” than they normally would.
“The stores I went to, every single person was buying water,” she said.
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While some locals heeded the warning, Charlie said he could still see people jetskiing from the apartment he is taking shelter in.
“There’s police and first responders and water safety out right now just letting everybody know to get up a little bit higher.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said waves of one to three metres above tide level were possible along some coastal areas of Hawaii, Chile, Japan and the Solomon Islands.
There are no tsunami risks currently for New Zealand and Australia.
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The latest Smartraveller advice warned Australians in Hawaii of the potential for tsunamis.
It said any travellers in Hawaii should listen to authorities and evacuate immediately. “A magnitude 8.6 earthquake has occurred approximately 60kms offshore from the southern tip of the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia,” the advice reads.
“A tsunami warning is in place for the west coast of the US including Alaska and Hawaii. There’s an evacuation order in place for Hawaii.
“If you’re in the affected area, move to higher ground immediately. If there’s an official evacuation warning, immediately follow the advice of local authorities.”
Similar advice has been given to popular holiday destinations Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands.
Authorities on the US west coast have also issued a tsunami advisory and warned residents to stay away from the beach and waterways.
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