Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Hawaii ports must liquefy after quake
By Ting-cheng Wen
Ka Leo O Hawaii (U. Hawaii)
10/30/2006

(U-WIRE) HONOLULU — Immediately after the Oct. 15 earthquake, a team of University of Hawaii engineers traveled to the Big Island to assess the damage. The surveying team included UH Professors Peter Nicholson and Horst Brandes, who are geotechnical engineers and Ian N. Robertson, a structural engineer.

According to the team's recently published report, there were two earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.7 and 6.0 that shook the northwest coast of the Big Island. The two earthquakes, which struck the rural areas of Kiholo Bay and Hawi, caused residents to feel 15 and 20 seconds of instable ground motion. At least $100 million in damage on the island of Hawaii is currently reported. As indicated in the report, the total cost of damage is likely to be more than $200 million.

Damage appeared on buildings, bridges, port facilities, and dams. Some roads, like one leaving the area of Hawi, were closed due to rockfall and slides which took almost two days to clear. Kawaihae Harbor was closed for liquefaction and lateral spreading of the constructed materials.

The report noted Kawaihae and Hilo Harbors are the only ports on the island to transport necessary supplies for residents.

[ Back to Student Voices ]