HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – For hours after initial sirens sounded and alerts squealed on people’s phones for Tuesday’s tsunami warning, many in Waikiki remained unfazed and some even continued swimming.
Others who evacuated immediately after they were notified about the warning were upset at those who ignored evacuation orders and essentially put themselves and others in danger.
“I went straight home,” said Oahu resident Rami Abdallah. “I just feel like when there’s a tsunami warning, people should be very serious about it. They shouldn’t think it’s a joke because it’s life-threatening if it does happen.”
Asher Kwon, another Oahu resident, agreed.
“It felt kind of funny because I seen videos of tsunamis. Man, they’re no joke,” Kwon said. “Me personally, I wouldn’t be on the beach. I felt kind of scared for those people, just in case something did happen.”
Visitor Suzanne Lee-Wen called those who lingered on the shore “daring.”
“You never know when the swells could’ve come in, and it was a little dangerous,” Lee-Wen said.
There were also videos on social media of people cheering from their balconies as they awaited the arrival of the first tsunami-powered wave, which some considered insensitive.
“It felt kind of ignorant, I feel like, the whole like cheering and everything, that was kind of weird,” said visitor Sebastian Soto.
Overall, several residents and visitors in Waikiki on Wednesday were pleased with the warning alerts and law enforcement.
“The local government made sure to get everybody the notices that they needed in a good timely manner,” visitor James Bond said.
Emergency officials explained that the alerts and sirens were sent out counting backwards from when the first wave would reach Kauai.
“Three hours before wave arrival, two hours before wave arrival, one hour before wave arrival, and then 30 minutes before expected wave arrival. Again, that was for Kauai, which is about 10 minutes before Oahu,” explained Molly Pierce, Honolulu Department of Emergency Management public information officer.
To be better prepared for future emergencies, officials always encourage residents to sign up for alerts from the city.
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