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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, February 27, 2010

In Waikiki, warnings to visitors on beach


Advertiser Staff

In Waikiki, beach boys were dismantling their concessions near the Duke Kahanamoku statue and moving their surfboards to higher ground.

Offshore, surfers were in the water, and ships could be seen along the horizon.
Visitors were taking pictures of the ocean as police and fire officials on loudspeakers warned people to stay off the beach.
At 6 a.m. when the alarms sounded, Hilton Hawaiian Village apprised its guests that they may need to move to higher floors should that become necessary. They did not evacuate and don’t plan to do so unless they are so advised by Civil Defense.
On the beach, Hubert Chang, owner of a Waikiki surf concession, said he’s removing his canoes and surfboards to higher ground.
“I’m taking the warning seriously,” Chang said. They are predicting the tsunami for sure, but i don’t know how high it will be. The question is how bad will it be.
"Normally the South Shore is flat this time of year, and we have waves now," he said. They came up overnight, he said.
“It looks nice. I’m tempted, but I’m not 16 anymore.”