The harbor's feral cats seem to know something is strange Saturday night

Video by David Corrigan

HILO, Hawaii: After Saturday night’s tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory, we took our camera to Hilo’s dark Wailoa Small Boat Harbor , where we were told the most noticeable effects of the  tsunami were seen.

The harbor was mostly empty. Only a few boats were still moored, as residents knew to evacuate their vessels in the hours before the tsunami was predicted to hit Hawaii Island. There seemed to be no substantial damage to the remaining boats.

Although the most dramatic action appeared to have already happened,  the waters were still behaving strangely. Upon first arriving to the harbor, the tide was coming in, carrying various debris like chunks of earth and piles of floating grass. The feral cats living at the harbor seemed to know something was amiss as they cautiously lurked around the swirling sea.

Then, about 10 minutes later, the tide abruptly reversed. A bubbling disturbance in the water signaled that the sea was now headed in the opposite direction. The scene was very similar to what was observed during the 2010 tsunami scare in Hilo.

Officials said the highest wave to surge into Hilo was measured at four feet.