Business was halted in our nation’s capitol. Office staff for Hawaii’s congressional delegation had their afternoons disrupted by the strong shaking jolt.
While Hawaii’s Senators are back in the Islands, many of their staff members remain in D.C., conducting day to day business. Business that was interrupted in a big way.
"And everything shook….You know it was just amazing. You know all my years of living in Hawaii I had experienced a few really minor tremors, but had never seen anything like this before," said Jon Yoshimura, communications director for Sen. Akaka.
This is a picture of Senator Akaka’s staff after they evacuated the office building.
"When we go back into the office tomorrow we’re going to have to straighten out a lot of photos, because everything that was hanging you could see that something had happened," Yoshimura says.
Here at home Senator Dan Inouye was given a VIP tour of his alma mater Mckinley High School.
He heard all members of his staff were okay. As for speaking with them -
"Not directly because communication has been severed. We don’t have any cell phone or direct line with the Capitol," he says.
Senator Inouye says his staff was left like others, waiting for word.
"All personnel have been evacuated, including security. They’re going to look at structural damage before they permit any of the people to go back," he says.
And while some waited for that all clear, others -
"A lot of people, instead of waiting around to go back into the offices once the all clear is called. They just decided to go home," Yoshimura says.
And that commute home took longer than normal according to Yoshimura.
"There is all kinds of traffic congestion. One of the main arteries into the Capitol area is Massachusetts Avenue, and that tree is just gridlock," he says.
Yoshimura said the Metro was running, but at a slow speed with heavier ridership.
The all clear to go back into office buildings was given for many at around 6 p.m. East Coast time.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
