Would hawaii be hit by a tsunami. Deadly tsunami hits hawaii a tsunami caused by an earthquake off the coast of chile travels across the pacific ocean and kills 61 people in hilo hawaii on may 23 1960. Hawaii residents might have trouble remembering the last time a tsunami devastated the islands but a look at the history books shows hawaii has indeed been hit by its share of destructive waves. The 75 magnitude quake off the kuril islands did not generate a tsunami strong enough to reach hawaii.
Scientists now have evidence however suggesting that at least one colossal tsunami some three times larger than the 1946 tsunami and larger than any in hawaiis known history struck the islands. Within about 10 minutes of the massive tremor noaas pacific tsunami warning center based in hawaii issued a tsunami watch for the hawaiian islands cautioning a tsunami may have been generated. The pacific tsunami warning center has canceled a short lived tsunami watch for hawaii.
An investigation is underway to determine if there is a tsunami threat to hawaii the estimated earliest arrival of the first tsunami waves should they hit hawaii is 1042 pm.