Yesterday's earthquakes that shut down most of the state triggered an emergency response from state Civil Defense officials and the governor that included activating the National Guard and contacting the White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Gov. Linda Lingle was staying in a Kohala Coast hotel on the Big Island when the earthquakes hit.

"The jolt we felt was intense," she said. "It threw everything in the hotel room around the room — television, lamps, everything."

At a news conference yesterday back on O'ahu, Lingle said she contacted state Civil Defense Vice Director Ed Teixeira "pretty quickly" about the response, which included gathering resources and doing an assessment.

Civil Defense staffers started streaming into the agency's Diamond Head headquarters soon after the quake was felt.

"We have a rule around here at state Civil Defense that is, if you feel the ground shaking, come to work," spokesman Ray Lovell said.

Lingle said she hopes today "we all get back to our normal lives," but yesterday's earthquakes — 6.6 magnitude and 5.8 magnitude, respectively — and power outages paralyzed O'ahu and the Big Island without anyone having much ability to do anything about it.

It's too soon for structural damage assessments, Lingle said, and maybe too soon for a response review.

"This was a very, very large severe earthquake that struck the entire island chain pretty much," Lingle said. "Any time there's an emergency, whether it's an earthquake such as this or 40 days of rain, you learn from it. There are always after-action meetings and analysis and reports."

Within an hour, Civil Defense was talking with KSSK radio, one of the few stations on the air. An emergency alert went out at 9:57 a.m.

"We didn't try to send it out immediately because I think a lot of people were aware there had been an earthquake, and when you send this message out, you have to be able to tell people something, and we were still getting information," Lovell said.

One of the first things obtained was an emergency proclamation signed by Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona that made state assets available quickly, and allows the use of the National Guard.

Teixeira said a 1975 earthquake on the Big Island registered a magnitude of 7.2 and two campers on a beach were killed.

Lingle said the state is seeking two different emergency declarations following yesterday's quake.

One is an emergency declaration. The other is a major disaster declaration.

The emergency declaration, if granted, would allow FEMA to task all other federal agencies with helping the state and provide for reimbursement, Lingle said.

Longer term is a major declaration that would cover major infrastructure.

Today, two teams from the Department of Transportation are heading out to the Big Island.

A harbors team will look at locations including Kawaihae Harbor, which was closed. A fuel line will be inspected for leakage. Another team will examine highways.

Lingle spoke with the White House yesterday about earthquake relief, and Adm. William Fallon, who heads U.S. Pacific Command, called her while she was still at the Kona police station. Officials said the active duty military was standing by to provide support.

The governor joined others outside looking around before evacuating to the Kona police station.

Lingle surveyed the shoreline area in a Drug Enforcement Agency six-person helicopter, and flew as far as Kealakekua Bay.

"We were told the Captain Cook monument had been destroyed. It had not. It was standing. But the most dramatic physical observation we had was of the cliffs — actually rock falling into the ocean there at the bay," Lingle said.

The most serious injury reported was a broken arm.

A highway coming out of Hilo has a bridge that will probably need some structural work, and the Hana Highway on Maui may need a lot of work, Lingle said at the afternoon news conference at state Civil Defense headquarters at Diamond Head.

Woodrow Goins, director of the FEMA Pacific Area Office, said his office is working with the state on a joint preliminary estimate of damages.

If a presidential declaration is made by President Bush, FEMA would be able to provide long-term reconstruction and possibly individual assistance to homes.

An emergency response team advance element is being deployed with typically 25 people. And others are likely to follow.

Up to 4,000 or 5,000 Hawai'i National Guard members can be called upon if needed, said Brig. Gen. Gary M. Ishikawa, the state's deputy adjutant general. Most of the work could involve cleanup.

A possibly "serious" public health issue is at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment plant, where an emergency generator was needed, Lingle said.

No sewage was released, but Lingle said there was a report that 15,000 gallons of treated, but not disinfected, sewage was released at the Wahiawa plant into Lake Wilson. There is no public health concern with the release, she said.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.