Temblor prompts brief tsunami advisory

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i was under a tsunami advisory for about an hour yesterday after a major earthquake was reported off the coast of Northern California.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in 'Ewa Beach issued the advisory at 5 p.m. yesterday but said there was no threat of a destructive tsunami reaching the Islands. But the center cautioned that some coastal areas could experience small sea-level changes and strong or unusual currents as early as 9:30 last night.

There were no reports of damage or injuries in Hawai'i as of early yesterday evening. The advisory was canceled at 6:12 p.m.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake was reported at 7:50 p.m. Pacific time about 90 miles west-southwest of the coastal community of Crescent City and 300 miles northwest of Sacramento, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake prompted the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center to issue a tsunami warning for coastal areas from the California-Mexico border to the northern tip of Vancouver, British Columbia. The area from Vancouver to Sitka, Alaska, was under a tsunami warning.

The West Coast-Alaska warning center last night said no tsunami was generated and canceled the warning and watch.

People in low-lying areas had been told to move to higher ground and to be alert to instructions from local emergency officials.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.