Hawaiians move the road away from the coast when the tsunami wave arrives

Many Hawaiians have noticed official recommendations to leave the coastal areas after earthquakes thousands of miles away near Russia caused tsunami waves to reach U.S. states and other parts of the Pacific.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said several feet of waves were recorded on islands in Maui, Oahu and Hawaii on Tuesday night.

The center then downgraded its tsunami warning to tsunami consultation in Hawaii, although warnings are still possible.

Gov. Josh Green put forward a hopeful tone, saying he hasn’t seen a “wave of consequences” in the state.

He had earlier advised people in low-lying areas to move higher ground, noting that roads are busy as people evacuate their homes.

Other parts of the U.S. West Coast – including California and Alaska – have done their own preparations during the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC).

Tsunami warnings indicate that widespread flooding is expected or occurs and floods near the coast should be evacuated to high ground and inland. Consultation means there is a possibility of strong currents or dangerous waves and urge people to stay away from water.

Officials warn that even if the immediate danger of flooding in certain parts of Hawaii may have passed, the risk of strong currents can last for hours or days after the initial wave.

Seismologist Lucy Jones, PhD, earlier predicted that waves could damage harbor and seafront properties in Hawaii and California, but would not cause catastrophic loss of life in the Americas.

Dr. Jones noted that the highest waves in Hawaii may be a few feet tall, but by comparison, they reached 42 feet (13m) in the deadly tsunami in Japan in 2011.

Many Hawaiians don’t have a chance.

Two years ago, residents of Maui were damaged by wildfires, and were those who moved to higher ground when warnings were in place.

David Dorn told the BBC that he is no stranger to tsunami warnings, and that he lived in the ocean of the coastal city of Kihei for 30 years, 30 years from the ocean of the coastal city of Kihei. But he and his wife are different about it.

“We try to take them all seriously, but most people will bring them a little bit lightly,” he said.

He and his wife evacuated the higher ground and planned to spend a night in the inland shopping mall.

Mr. Dorn said he had moved his electronics to their attic before leaving the house, hoping that even if the sea water penetrated the building, it would not reach the puppet.

His biggest concern is the roads, especially when the poles fall and block them.

“Traffic is always a problem and it gets worse,” he said.

Another Maui resident, Roger Pleasanton, told the BBC that traffic “is like New York City now.”

He added: “I was going to go to the grocery store, but I think I might have to skip the groceries and get out of here.”

As Maui prepares for the arrival of the waves, shelters are opened and water facilities are closed to protect them from possible damage.

It has been 10 years since the island’s lifelong resident Felicia Johnson finally fled the tsunami. Later Tuesday, she found herself moving to higher ground again.

Ms. Johnson, 47, watched the water level retreat and then rose significantly – describing a pattern that is usually seen in tsunamis.

“It’s weird,” she yelled while packing the truck to spend the night with her family and friends on the hill.

She compared the situation to the fire that struck Lahaina town two years ago, destroying the island and its communities.

“All I can do is leave the house. I’m leaving, so I’m absolutely worried about what will happen. But I mean, can you cry?

“We’ve experienced this in the fire, without warnings, it’s so devastating. Now, we have so many warnings that if we don’t go, it’s our fault.”

Waves reaching 5.7 feet (1.74 million) were recorded in Kahului, Maui, and 4.9 feet were recorded in Hilo, Hawaii.

Emergency management authorities warn people to stay in full outside coastal evacuation areas.

In California, the first wave is relatively small. A 3.6-foot wave was recorded in Crescent City, the northernmost part of the state, with a smaller wave hitting Arena Bay 1.6-foot north of San Francisco.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that in an area on the Pacific Coast near Port St. Louis, there may be higher peaks, about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“With the water retreating, please don’t return to flooded areas, but you can return multiple times in the next 24 hours, and the first wave may not be the biggest one.”

The agency’s San Francisco office said it was recording just 2.5 feet of the tide and suggested: “It’s a good idea to stay away from the water today!”

However, in Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County, some people feel relaxed at the threat.

George Mejia, 25, and his two cousins packed their luggage in the convertible their mom called.

“She said, ‘You see a huge earthquake, maybe there will be a tsunami?’ I was like, “No, I’ve been in the water! ””

Instead of speeding forward, the three sat in their cars, staring at the ocean, talking about going back and riding on the tsunami waves.

The Blue Tsunami Evacuation Route Sign is a number of roads on the West Coast of the United States.

In Canada, the distance wave height is still below 1 foot.

In Alaska, the tsunami warned by Mrs. Aleutian in the West (close to Russia’s island chain) was downgraded to consultation.

On U.S. territory about 2,500 kilometers south of Tokyo, tsunami consultation on Guam was cancelled. Island officials said there was no further threat of waves, but warned the next day that the trend was stronger.

The earthquake that triggers the tsunami is one of the most powerful earthquakes in modern times. Since the beginning of modern seismology in 1900, only five earthquakes have become stronger.

With other reports from Christal Hayes