HONOLULU, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says the tsunami waves from the Chile earthquake have reached Hawaii.
The waves were just beginning to register on Big Island gauges, the center said.
Earlier, residents of Hawaii jammed stores, filled their gas tanks and prepared to head for high ground ahead of high waves Saturday, officials said.
A Pacific-wide tsunami warning caused sirens to go off all over the state, and high waves generated by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Chile's coast were scheduled to hit Hilo, Hawaii, by 11 a.m. local time, the (Honolulu) Star-Bulletin said.
Evacuation zone residents were told to listen to radio or television stations for Civil Defense announcements and instructions, and to move inland to higher ground, the newspaper said. Residents should walk to higher ground if possible, instead of driving, and carry food, water and medicine for five to seven days per person in the family.
The Star-Bulletin quoted John Cummings, Oahu Emergency Management Department spokesman, as saying, "If you live anywhere in the evacuation zone, you have to evacuate. This is a serious event. We're going to treat this as a destructive-type tsunami."
Residents were told to look in the front of the telephone directory or check www.scd.hawaii.gov to learn if they lived or worked in an evacuation zone.
Officials said enclosed bay areas in Hilo, Kahului and Haleiwa could see waves reaching 6 to 8 feet.
Waves are expected to be under 3 feet along other shorelines, the newspaper said.
Sirens will sound regularly as the tsunami gets closer.
