Tsunamiwarning again!

South Pacific Familyadventure 2008
Claes Brodin
Thu 8 Oct 2009 04:02
At 11.30 local time I came to the laundry when staff from the marina
shouted to me to leave the marina.On my question why,the answer was
Tsunamiwarning all over Fiji.I had not heard the warningsirens over the
island,and now understood why many yachts had left for the ocean!
Colin was gone and when a "yachtiecouple" from NZ came with their dinghy
and started running for the hill advised for all people to escape,I
decided to leave Tarita to her destiny.We ran together to the highest hill
on the island,and the report we got from marinastaff,was 2 earthquakes
between Vanuatu and Fiji 8,2 and 7,9 on the Richterscale.The first
tsunamiwave was travelling fast and estimated to be 18m!E.t.a on Malololo
Island was 12.37 local time,and the second around 15.00.Fijiradio gave
regular reports and updates,and on Fijimainland,people were evacuated to
the mountains.
What a surrealistic feeling,where is Colin?Good Bye Tarita,what a way for
you to go!(she would never manage down in the marina and to late to bring
her to the ocean)
Is this hill high enough for a 18m(60ft)wave??(there were families and
children all over, just waiting).
At 12.25 Fijiradio came out saying we are now within the critical 10mins.
At 12.35 a Kiwilady beside me got in touch with NZ on the mobile and
learned to know that the tsunami had hit Vanuatu and was only 4 cm!!(NZ
Tsunami warning center)
At 12.40 the Tsunamiwarning was cancelled
Now at 16.00 I´m back on Tarita as if nothing happened(Colin as well).
Strange is the least you can say.............