Coastal college students, residents and experts are sounding off on tsunami warnings.
One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded hit Chile early Saturday morning, according to the Associated Press.
“Well the facts are we have a magnitude 8.8 earthquake, in a subduction zone, which caused the tsunami,” said Dr. Roger Bilham, a geology professor and earthquake expert at CU.
Bilham said that the earthquakes of this magnitude are rare.
“Earthquakes happen all the time, not big ones like this, three in the last decade is extraordinary,” Bilham said.
Bilham said there is another interesting trend with the earthquakes.
“The interesting thing about [these] earthquakes is they are hitting population centers; it’s big news when they kill people,” Bilham said.
John “Keoni” Coelho, a current Longmont resident originally from Oahu with family still living in Hawaii, said that he found out about the tsunami while watching the news Saturday morning.
“When I heard the news, I started making calls,” Coelho said.
Coelho said he has experienced tsunamis before.
“Interestingly enough, the last [tsunami] was in 1964 which historically was the worst wave that had hit, but where we were wasn’t affected,” Coelho said. “I do remember a car with a big, long canoe on top. That was interesting, though, that the news stated that if this tsunami forms if will be the worst since then.”
Coelho said his family was well prepared.
“[It’s] real simple: get food, pack a few things and take off to avoid traffic,” Coelho said.
Coelho said that after he spoke to his family, he wasn’t too worried about their safety.
“In Hawaii everyone is trained,” Coelho said. “We all have been trained since we were kids [that] when a tsunami hits to move to higher ground, period. We were all trained survival. We were taught how to live off coconuts and papayas. It’s second nature to us.”
After talking to family on the island of Hawaii, Coelho said they told him about the actions tourists were taking as well, such as, packing and moving themselves to higher ground.
Jessica Lindsey, a student at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, said the school told students to remain where they were, since the school is located two blocks outside the evacuation zone.
Kate Seabright, a Hawaiian native and junior 20-year-old New York University English major who is currently interning in Honolulu, said her dad told her Saturday morning that the tsunami was going to hit.
“I know my dad went out and bought water and food and stuff,” Seabright said, adding that they stayed put. “We’re just staying where we are.”
Bilham said that the tsunami had looked like it was going to hit Southern California.
Joel Davidson, a 21-year-old University of California San Diego student, said he doesn’t live too close to the beach and wasn’t overly concerned.
“I think if you live in the sand you’re [expletive], if you live in the house on a street than nothing will happen to you,” Davidson said.
Cindy Carlisle, a 61-year-old self-employed former CU regent, and her husband Baine Kerr, a Boulder attorney, say they have two homes in Hawaii.
“We have two cottages one 60 feet from the shore, and another 90 feet from the shore; they’re built to withstand Hurricanes,” Kerr said.
Carlisle said she wasn’t concerned about their properties.
“I’m more worried about damage to the humans and people on the island.”
Kerr echoed this statement, saying he was more concerned about the people than the homes.
“It could wipe the whole town out; we know a lot of people there,” Kerr said.
Carlisle said she has been evacuated for a tsunami before.
“I’ve learned to be ready to clear out early,” Carlisle said. “There is a sense of preparedness. You’re not going to wait to see what happens.”
Carlisle said that she and Kerr plan on going to Hawaii in the spring.
“We plan on going back in April for spring break vacation and to do maintenance on the cottages,” Carlisle said.
According to the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis fall 2009 statistics there are 83 CU undergraduate students from Hawaii.
Three Colorado Buffaloes football players are from Hawaii and associate head coach Brian Cabral grew up in Kailua, Hawaii.
Marissa Pilger, a 20-year-old psychology major at Williams College and native Hawaiian, has family living on the island. Pilger said early Saturday that she’s not that scared for her family members which include her parents, grandparents and two brothers.
“I know how serious it can be, but I’m not that worried,” Pilger said when asked about the tsunami. “[My] mom’s not worried.”
Contact CU Independent Deadline News Editor Emily Zarka at Emily.zarka@colorado.edu.
