I was completely apprehensive the entire night of the tsunami warning. My family and I live just off Ali’i dr, which may have been the worst damage of the Hawaiian islands, and were advised to evacuate to higher ground. However, despite the warnings, we decided to stay home. Our home is pretty high up and knew we would be safe from the size waves predicted to hit the islands.

Every hour the sirens went off waking me from my already stirring sleep. 3:00 am came and went without any notice of a wave.

In the morning I decided to walk Ali’i dr to see if the rumors of damage were true. At first, nothing seemed to be any different. I was turned around before the Huggo’s restaurant by a police officer. I then headed back toward Honl’s beach and notice a crowd of people wandering around the hotel and condo units on the ocean side. It was then I realized that this tsunami was more than I first thought.

Large boulders had been hoisted on to the tailored lawn, lower condo units had been destroyed, and even one house on the far end of Honl’s was completely moved off its foundation.

While speaking with a gentleman riding his bike I learned of a lot more destruction toward Keauhoe, including a house that was completely destroyed.

If a six to eight foot wave did this much damage… I could only imagine what a twenty foot wave would do.

My heart goes out to all those effected by this natural disaster.