Aussie footballers sit tight after 'mild' tsunami

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 28 Oktober 2012 | 23.08

A major 7.7 magnitude earthquake has rocked the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of Canada.

MEMBERS of a Queensland indigenous rugby league team are holed up in an Hawaiian evacuation centre awaiting tsunami updates.

Two of Arthur Beetson's sons were with the team at Kaiser High School, on the island of Oahu, where they were advised to stay until the severity was known of the tsunami generated by an earthquake in Canada.

The team - captained by former Brisbane Bronco Ian Lacey and consisting mostly of Queensland Cup players - had played a Hawaiian All Stars team at the high school, which is on the side of a hill.

Rugby league writer Steve Mascord was with the team and said the players had been relaxed about the unfolding situation.

"They had music on and they were dancing (but) now they're starting to get a little bored," Mr Mascord told AAP.

"There was talk of going to a pub nearby ... There's certainly no real alarm."

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued an alert for all Hawaiian islands on Saturday night (Sunday AEDT), hours after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked an island off Canada's west coast.

Tad Kanski of Newport Beach, California unties his family's sailboat moored at the Ala Wai Harbor after learning of a tsunami warning. Picture: AP

Bu the tsunami which hit Hawaii on Sunday was mild, forcing a state-wide evacuation but apparently failing to cause major damage.

Television images from the island of Oahu showed relatively small waves peacefully rolling toward shore.

Shortly after, forecasters lifted a tsunami warning issued in the wake of the quake.

"Based on all available data the tsunami threat has decreased and is now at the advisory level and not expected to increase," the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre announced.

The centre warned, however, that sea level changes and strong currents could still occur and present a hazard for swimmers and boaters.

"The threat may continue for several hours," the centre cautioned.

The quake hit Canada near the Gwaii Haanas region.

Highways and roads in coastal areas were reopened, allowing thousands of residents and hundreds of tourists to return to their homes and hotel rooms.

But the tsunami succeeded in disrupting the weekend activities of many tourists and residents.

Countless Halloween parties were interrupted, restaurants, bars and movie theatres emptied, and highways quickly filled with cars heading away from beach areas.

Tourists from Waikiki to Turtle Bay in Honolulu were evacuated to higher floors in their hotels, and major tourist centres looked abandoned for several hours.

Governor Neil Abercrombie declared a state of emergency when the first alert was sounded and kept it in force.

"We are taking a wait-and-see approach - we want everyone to be safe," said the governor's spokesperson, Donalyn Dela Cruz.

Erica Avegalio, centre, and her brother Albert Avegalio, right, load up on water and food at the Times Supermarket after learning of the tsunami threat. Picture: AP

Initially, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no "destructive widespread tsunami threat" after the 7.7 magnitude quake shook the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of Canada.

But later it issued a warning, saying a tsunami had been generated by the earthquake and that it was headed toward Hawaii.

The epicentre of the Canadian quake, which occurred at 8.04pm on Saturday (1404 AEDT on Sunday) was located 139 kilometres south of the town of Masset, the US Geological Survey said.

Numerous aftershocks, some as strong as magnitude 4.6, followed the initial quake.

Emergency officials in British Columbia urged residents in low-lying coastal areas to be alert to instructions from local officials and be prepared to move to higher ground.

"The tsunami alarm went off and everybody went to the evacuation site," Danny Escott, owner of the Escott Sportfishing lodge near Masset, said by telephone.

Lyndon Fong of Honolulu fills up his gas tank after learning of the tsunami warning. Picture: AP

But officials in Canada sought to calm the population.

Natural Resources Canada said in a statement that the quake was felt across much of north-central British Columbia, including Haida Gwaii as the Queen Charlotte Islands are also called, Prince Rupert, Quesnel and Houston.

But the ministry also played down the effects on Canada, saying: "There have been no reports of damage at this time."

Mr Mascord said the Australian consul-general to Hawaii was at the game and had advised the players to remain at the school until the conditions became clearer.

"Kaiser High School is a safe zone, so this is where people will come if there is trouble, so the boys are pretty relaxed about that," Mr Mascord said.

"There are roads closed, and the bottom floors of hotels in Waikiki have been evacuated.

"But apparently people are still shopping in Waikiki, so we're just waiting for more news and hoping we can return to our hotels."

The players are travelling with the Arthur Beetson Foundation as part of a 39-person party, which includes the rugby league legend's sons as well as tribal dancers who performed before the game.

The Queenslanders won 70-8 against the Hawaiian All Stars, who themselves were coached by former North Queensland Cowboy Cory Paterson.


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