Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Hawaiian Islands shaken by high-magnitude earthquakes
By Danielle Flud
Ka Leo O Hawaii (U. Hawaii)
10/16/2006

(U-WIRE) HONOLULU — An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii 24 miles below Kiholo Bay at 7:07 Sunday morning. Seven minutes later a second quake measuring 5.8 hit 13 miles northwest of Kawaihae. There were a total of 55 aftershocks measuring between 2.5 and 3.5 starting at 10:30 a.m., the largest being at 10:35 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.2.

On Oahu, seismic activity measured 4.6 for the first quake and 4.9 for the second.

No tsunami warnings were posted, but flash flood warnings were initially issued for all islands except the Big Island to last through Monday and were later recalled Sunday afternoon.

The quake was the largest to hit the Islands in over 23 years, and caused significant damage on the Big Island and power outages statewide; the second time in the state's history. Electrical power was shut down almost immediately following the tremors, affecting parts of the Big Island, Molokai, Maui, and all of Oahu.

Honolulu International Airport was shut down temporarily until the emergency generator power kicked in, which supported the airport until 6:15 p.m. when electricity was restored. A total of 18 flights were cancelled Sunday, and several others were delayed.

The first quake was felt as a steady rumble that knocked hanging items from walls, shook windows, shut down air travel and disrupted highway traffic.

Wilma Burns of Aina Haina was on the phone with her son in Waianae at 7:07 a.m., when "it started rattling. I didn't know what it was until the call dropped and my kitchen drawers started opening up."

She said her daughter called her from work to check on her during the quake.

"I just stood in the kitchen watching," Burns said. "My cat's eyes were huge and he was skidding around scared ... and then the lights went out."

Gov. Linda Lingle was staying at the Hilton Waikaloa Village on the Big Island when the quakes hit, the room's television falling to the floor during the shaking.

"The [hotel] staff was outstanding," Lingle said on an early Sunday morning interview on KSSK radio. She said the "staff cleared out rooms in a methodological order," which was very helpful and calming to the frightened guests and visitors.

The Hawaii Air National Guard later flew Lingle back to Oahu after touring the damage to the Big Island near Kealakekua Bay and Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

The Big Island took the most damage from the quakes including several landslides and boulders falling into Kealakekua Bay, cracks in the highway bridge between Hilo and Waimea, and significant structure damage to resident's houses and property. 3,000 patients were evacuated from Kona and South Kohala. Kona Hospital was evacuated due to a gas leak and falling ceiling tiles. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, the hospital expects to be closed for the next two days.

Lingle has declared the Big Island of Hawaii a disaster area.

Moments after the quake, power was shut down nearly statewide, as well as most cell phone service and radio broadcast. KSSK radio on Oahu was live during and after the quakes, providing constant updates and communication throughout the Islands until power was restored.

University of Hawaii at Manoa student and Hawaii Kai resident Charlie Howard had just returned home from work when the quakes hit. Though he said surprisingly he wasn't that alarmed.

"The pool was just sloshing around like crazy," he said. "I don't know, I must have been somewhat asleep when the shaking started. I really wasn't that bothered."

Despite the power outage, several stores across Oahu remained open for emergency purchases, and hundreds of customers lined up at the Foodland in Liliha and the Safeway stores in Mililani and Manoa to be escorted inside by flashlight. Several Shell gasoline stations also remained open, attracting long lines that lined the roadways. Several service stations, such as Kahala Shell, accepted cash only and limited gas purchases to $20.

On Oahu, roadways held unusually light traffic as most residents stayed home out of the rain and off the roads due to possible dangerous conditions. City officials warned drivers to heed to blank traffic signals as four-way stop intersections, and while many drivers heeded warnings, many did not, causing at least one accident directly related to the lack of signals.

Honolulu Police Department officers directed many intersections on the East side of Oahu along the Kalanianaole Highway for the first few hours after the quakes hit.

According to a report by Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui power was restored by early Sunday afternoon, and nearly 99 percent of the Big Island was restored by 9 p.m.

Most electricity was restored to all of Oahu by 12:10 a.m. Monday morning.

Before Sunday's quake, the last largest earthquake to hit the Islands was Kaioiki, a quake measuring 6.7 on the Big Island on Nov. 16, 1983. The most destructive quake in recent years was in Honomu on April 26, 1973. The quake measured 6.2 and caused an estimated $60 million in damage. Kaioiki caused $6 million damage.

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