Police announced: "Attention, attention, a tsunami warning has been put into effect, please vacate to higher ground."
Except for the announcements and sirens, it was quiet on the streets of Waikiki by 9:30p.m..
"It’s weird to see no cars on the road," one person said.
But the sidewalks were full, without much of a sense of panic.
"They force us to finish our dinner I couldn’t have my dessert," said Jacob Nan, Portland, Oregon. "They told us to get out."
"We were at Iolani homecoming but because of the tsunami warning our dance got cancelled," said Jamie Lee, high school senior.
"Not really afraid, we’ve been through this before it’s just taking precautionary measures making sure everything’s ok," said Mike Times, musician.
At the Hilton Hawaiian Village they were moving guests to rooms above the 5th floor.
"We asked the front desk manager and she said that we’d be fine but we don’t think so so me and my family are leaving," said Tiane Marciel.
Tiane Marciel and her family from Ewa Beach were waiting for their ride.
"So you can’t get to our hotel, oh my gosh," said Marciel. "We’re evacuating the substation and going to Waikiki Elementary."
By 10:00 it was closer to a ghost town. Roads, sidewalks, beaches empty except for the few who tempt fate.
Police warned people that "extremely dangerous waves are expected at 10:28 pm."
Others went out on the balcony to wait and watch.
On the 21st floor of the Westin Moana Surfrider, they’ve moved about 500 guests from the lower levels to the 3rd floor ballroom.
Staff here say during the warning after the Japan quake and tsunami, the water receded 10 to 20 feet, but just filled back in. Saturday night, no receding, no real surges or changes in water level in the three hours we watched.
And by 1 a.m. the tired could go back to their rooms.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
