(BIVN) – A Magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred in the Kermadec Islands region near New Zealand, just before 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, triggering concerns of a tsunami threat to parts of the Pacific Ocean.
A 1 p.m. HST message from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated:
A tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake. However… Based on all available data… There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Repeat. Based on all available data… There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.
Tsunami waves were forecast to be less than 0.3 meters above the tide level for the coasts of American Samoa… Cook Islands… Fiji… Kermadec Islands… New Caledonia… New Zealand… Niue… Samoa… Solomon Islands… Tonga… Vanuatu… and Wallis and Futuna.
UPDATE: In a final PTWC tsunami threat message, officials said there is no tsunami threat from the event and said “minor sea level fluctuations may occur in the some coastal areas near the earthquake over the next few hours.”
by Big Island Video News1:45 pm
on at
STORY SUMMARY
HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi - The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a threat message, saying that there was no threat to Hawaiʻi but the tsunami waves were possible closer to the earthquake center.