Tsunami waves cross the Hawaiian Islands Posted: Saturday, February 27, 2010 4:47 PM EST Updated: Saturday, February 27, 2010 8:30 PM EST
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – At 1:50 PM Saturday, scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami warning after all of Hawaii had braced for the worst for a tense 13 hours. Governor Linda Lingle, speaking from the state Civil Defense headquarters at Diamond Head crater, announced that there were no reports of significant property damage or loss of life.
The tsunami waves began hitting the Hawaiian Islands exactly at the time that scientists predicted, though without the ferocity that may island residents feared. The first indications of the tsunami appeared at around 11:30 AM Saturday as the ocean began dramatically receding from Hilo Bay.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the sea level rose almost three feet at Hilo, surging and receding numerous times at intervals of about 20 minutes. No injuries or property damage were reported at Hilo, on the eastern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Much of the areas in Hilo's inundation zone are now parklands, the city having been devastated by deadly tsunamis in 1946 and 1960.
At Kawaihae Harbor, on the Kona side of Hawaii, the tsunami was measured at almost two feet high. On Maui, at the main harbor of Kahului, the ocean rose over three feet, the highest surge recorded in the islands.
On the island of Oahu, police shut down dozens of major thoroughfares. Many businesses and institutions closed down and most scheduled events were canceled. Thousands of people gathered on hilltops and mountainsides to watch for the waves to come in. Thousands of tourists were ‘vertically evacuated' to higher floors of high-rise hotels at Waikiki Beach.
Waipio Valley Photo Source: PROCTOLS
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An 8.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Chile on Saturday, killing at least 214 people and causing significant structural damage. The earthquake was felt in Chillan, Talca, Concepcion, and the capital Santiago. Sea level recording triggered tsunami warnings for Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. The earthquake, which started at 06.34.14 UTC, was felt as far as Argentina. 

This earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. The two plates are converging at a rate of 80 millimeters per year. 

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has announced that a tsunami warning is in effect for much of the Pacific Rim, including parts of Oceania and Central America.

According to the BBC, "large waves" have struck Chile's Juan Fernández Islands, reaching halfway into one inhabited area. Three people are missing local media says. Reuters reported the Tsunami hit Tahiti at 16.50 UTC, where the BBC reports that the first waves were "smaller," measuring only 36 centimeters.

According to the AFP, part of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia was hit by a 13 foot wave. No casualties have been reported. 

The New Zealand Herald reported New Zealand evacuated coastal areas at 8:00 AM local time (18.00 UTC). Waves of 20 centimeters or less were reported at the Chatham Islands (400 miles from the New Zealand mainland) at 19.05 UTC. The Ministry of Civil Defense told the BBC that "the greatest wave heights will occur between six and 12 hours after the initial arrivals."

Coastal waters in Hilo, Hawaii were reported as "visibly receding" at 11:30 AM local time (21.30 UTC) by Hawaii News Now.
According to MSNBC, a 5 1/2 foot wave reportedly made land fall on Hilo Bay, Hawaii a short while after 12:00 P.M. local time (22.00 UTC).