Tsunami warning extended to New Zealand

[Turborama]

Source: New Zealand Press Association

The US tsunami monitoring centre has widened a warning following the huge quake and tsunami in Japan to virtually the entire Pacific coast, including New Zealand.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre expanded a previous alert to include the US state of Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and the entire coast of Central and South America.

The centre gave an estimated arrival time for any tsunami of 6.14am at the North Cape (NZ time Saturday).

New Zealand Civil Defence said there was a potential threat of a tsunami reaching here, but it had not issued its own warning.

Read more: http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/world-news/4759908/Tsunami-warning-extended-to-New-Zealand

[VermeerLives]

1. The whole Pacific region affected by this! (n/t)

[dipsydoodle]

2. Map of Pacific with time lags shown

The US West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre said that any tsunami generated by the earthquake off the coast of Japan would hit Hawaii at around 2.45am (12.45pm GMT) and the US West Coast at 7.45am (3.45pm GMT).

Sky News US correspondent Robert Nisbet in the Hawaii resort of Wakiki said that some people were being told to move inland and others urged to move to the upper floor of buildings in case a tsunami hits.

"This is a different kind of evacuation that they plan here in Wakiki because the area is so densely-populated and the buildings tall," he said.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Tsunami-Hawaii-Pacific-Coasts-On-Alert-After-Quake-Off-Japan/Article/201103215950233?lpos=World_News_First_World_News_Article_Teaser_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15950233_Tsunami%3A_Hawaii%2C_Pacific_Coasts_On_Alert_After_Quake_Off_Japan

Expected to reach New Zealand 12 hours from onset of c. 5.30am GMT.