The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center on Thursday canceled a tsunami watch for Hawaii that was issued after a major earthquake occurred in a remote area between New Zealand and Tonga.
The agency earlier canceled a tsunami alert it issued for American Samoa.
The magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands. It has forced thousands of people to evacuate in New Zealand, but does not appear to pose a widespread threat to lives or major infrastructure.
A firefighter asks people along the road to go to higher ground through a public address system (PA) following a tsunami alert for American Samoa in Pago Pago, Thursday, March 4, 2021. (AP Photo / Fili Sagapolutele )
In American Samoa, officials rang the church bells of the town and police in marked vehicles and fire trucks used loudspeakers to spread the threat because the area’s regular outside warning system has been out of order since last year.
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Repairs were halted because flights to American Samoa were suspended amid the pandemic and technicians could not undertake the trip.
Residents took no chances after a 2009 tsunami killed 34 people in American Samoa and caused extensive damage.
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The Kermadec Islands earthquake was the largest in a series of quakes that hit the region over several hours, including two early quakes with a magnitude of 7.4 and a magnitude of 7.3.