Hawaiʻi Tsunami Awareness Month

Hawaiʻi > Hawaiʻi Tsunami Awareness Month

Since the 1990s, Hawaiʻi has used April as Tsunami Awareness Month. Federal, State, and Local government agencies, the Pacific Tsunami Museum, and other non-profit organizations team together to sponsor awareness and outreach events aimed at sustaining awareness of Hawaiʻi's tsunami hazards. The April 1, 1946 (April Fool's day) tsunami from the Aleutian islands surprised the State, which was without a tsunami warning system, killing 158 persons. As a result, the US started the US Seismic Sea Wave Warning System in 1949, which today is known as the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The last tsunami that caused significant damage in Hawaiʻi was the 2011 Great East Japan tsunami, which was observed statewide causing $30 million in damage.

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Hawaiʻi Tsunami Information

Federal / National Information
Hawaiʻi Tsunami Warnings - PTWC Messages
US TWC (PTWC, NTWC) Message Definitions
US NTHMP Tsunami Information Guide
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center  (PTWC)
International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC)
American Red Cross, Hawaiʻi State Chapter
Civil Air Patrol, Hawaiʻi Wing , US Air Force Auxillary

State Information
Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency  (HI-EMA)

County Information
Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency  (including Ni'ihau, KEMA)
City & County of Honolulu, Dept of Emergency Management  (DEM)
Maui County Emergency Management Agency  (including Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi, Kahoʻolawe) 
Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense  (HCDA)

Historical Information
Pacific Tsunami Museum  (PTM)
Hawaiʻi Historical Tsunami Photos

General Information on tsunamis in the United States and the US Tsunami Warning System services and products, can be found in the US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program Tsunami Information Guide (2019).