Nov. 16, 2006 — Tsunamis generated by a major earthquake near Japan left behind little damage but offered a legitimate test of international warning systems.
The waves, some measuring a few feet high, struck Hawaii shores Wednesday, slightly injuring one swimmer and temporarily flooding a harbor. A surge along California's northern coast destroyed two docks in Crescent City Harbor and damaged a third.
The waves hit Hawaii about six hours after a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck north of Japan.
Tsunami warnings were issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which reported that its system of sending alerts functioned properly.
"It went very smoothly, and there weren't any major problems at all," said Brian Shiro, a geophysicist at the center. "We issued a warning for 1,000 kilometers surrounding the earthquake and an advisory for the rest of the Pacific Ocean."
The alerts were canceled once the center received further information that showed the tsunami was going to be small, he said. The center canceled the tsunami watch for Hawaii when it became clear the waves were unlikely to top one meter, or about 3.3 feet.
But local civil defense authorities still warned people to stay out of the water and to exercise caution near harbors, given the possibility the earthquake would generate unusual currents around Hawaii.
A woman swimming at Waikiki suffered cuts when she was sucked through an opening in a seawall as the water receded just before the swells arrived. She was otherwise fine, said John Cummings, a spokesman for Oahu Civil Defense.
On Kauai, a 2 1/2-foot swell flooded a parking lot at Nawiliwili Harbor. No serious damage was reported.
