U.S. Breathes Sigh of Relief As Tsunami Soaks West Coast But Causes Little Damage

Published by: Natalia V on 11th Mar 2011 | View all blogs by Natalia V

People along the coasts of Hawaii and the West Coast held their breath as a tsunami raced across the Pacific at 500 mph threatening to strike with waves as high as 9 feet high, but what arrived did little more than soak the beaches and cause traffic jams.

They breathed a sigh of relief as the tsunami turned out to do little more than delight surfers along the California coast and irritate thousands who rushed to higher ground.

The biggest danger appeared to be dangerous currents along the coast.

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that rattled Japan today triggered a tsunami that sped across the Pacific Ocean at a velocity that matched that of a commercial jetliner.

Tsunami warning sirens went off from Hawaii to Alaska and Oregon. Evacuations jammed roads and prompted fistfights at gas stations, and the federal government prepared to deploy emergency relief teams.