Alert archive / American Samoa / Tsunami Warnings in 2021

Tsunami Warning 2, NWS HEB

March 4, 2021

NWS HEB issued this tsunami warning at Mar 4, 2021, 1:40 PM CST. It was in force for 21 days. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 4, 2021, 1:40 PM CST (19:40 UTC)
Expired
Mar 25, 2021, 2:40 PM CDT
In force
21 days
Issued by
NWS HEB

The text

As transmitted.

432 
WEZS40 PHEB 041940
TSUPPG
 
ASZ001>003-042140-
/O.NEW.PHEB.TS.W.0002.210304T1940Z-000000T0000Z/
 
BULLETIN
TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 1
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
840 AM SST THU MAR 04 2021
 
...A TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR AMERICAN SAMOA...
 

AUDIENCE
--------
EMERGENCY MANAGERS... MEDIA... GENERAL PUBLIC
 

EVALUATION
----------
 
  * AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 8.0 OCCURRED IN
    THE KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION AT 828 AM SST ON THURSDAY MARCH
    4 2021.
 
  * A HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI MAY HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY THIS NEARBY
    EARTHQUAKE THAT COULD SOON IMPACT NEARBY COASTS.
 
  * MONITORING IS UNDERWAY TO EVALUATE THE TSUNAMI THREAT.
 
  * A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED BY THIS EARTHQUAKE. BASED ON ALL
    AVAILABLE DATA... THERE IS THE THREAT OF HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI
    WAVES IMPACTING LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS IN AMERICAN SAMOA.
 
  * THE EARLIEST ESTIMATED TIME THAT TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY MAY
    BEGIN WITHIN AMERICAN SAMOA IS
 
                 1019 AM SST ON THURSDAY MARCH 04 2021
 

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
-------------------
 
  * PERSONS LOCATED IN LOW-LYING AREAS ALONG COASTS OF ALL OF
    AMERICAN SAMOA SHOULD MOVE IMMEDIATELY INLAND OR TO HIGH
    GROUND OR TO THE FOURTH FLOOR AND ABOVE IN A STEEL OR
    CONCRETE BUILDING.
 
  * DO NOT RETURN TO EVACUATED AREAS UNTIL THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN
    BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
 
  * DO NOT RETURN TO EVACUATED AREAS UNTIL THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN
    BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
 
  * STAY ALERT FOR SIREN SOUNDINGS OR EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
    BROADCASTS INDICATING THAT A TSUNAMI EVACUATION HAS BEEN
    ORDERED. EVACUATION INSTRUCTIONS FROM AMERICAN SAMOA CIVIL
    DEFENSE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES WILL BE BROADCAST
    OVER LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS.
 
  * IF AN EVACUATION IS UNDERWAY... MOVE INLAND TO GET OUTSIDE OF
    THE EVACUATION ZONE OR MOVE TO THE FOURTH FLOOR AND ABOVE IN
    A CONCRETE BUILDING OF SIX STORIES OR MORE. TO AVOID TRAFFIC
    GRIDLOCK... CONSIDER WALKING OUT OF THE EVACUATION ZONE.
 
  * PERSONS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE EVACUATION ZONE SHOULD LIMIT
    TRAVEL TO PREVENT CONGESTION OF EVACUATION ROUTES.
 
  * LIMIT TELEPHONE AND CELL PHONE USAGE SO THOSE SYSTEMS DO NOT
    BECOME OVERLOADED.
 

ESTIMATED TIMES OF ARRIVAL
--------------------------
 
  * ESTIMATED TIMES OF ARRIVAL -ETA- OF THE INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE
    ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE
    INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES
    OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO
    ONE HOUR.
 
    LOCATION            REGION    COORDINATES      ETA(SST)
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    TAFUNA              TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1019 AM 03/04
    LEONE               TUTUILA   14.3S 170.8W   1019 AM 03/04
    FAGAMALO            TUTUILA   14.3S 170.8W   1019 AM 03/04
    FAGASA              TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1019 AM 03/04
    AMANAVE             TUTUILA   14.3S 170.8W   1019 AM 03/04
    PAGO PAGO           TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1022 AM 03/04
    VATIA               TUTUILA   14.2S 170.7W   1022 AM 03/04
    MASEFAU             TUTUILA   14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    PAGAI               TUTUILA   14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    AUMI                TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1022 AM 03/04
    TULA                TUTUILA   14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    AUNUU ISLAND        AUNUU     14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    TAU ISLAND          MANUA     14.3S 169.5W   1025 AM 03/04
    OFU ISLAND          MANUA     14.2S 169.7W   1026 AM 03/04
    OLESEGA ISLAND      MANUA     14.2S 169.6W   1026 AM 03/04
    SWAINS ISLAND       SWAINS    11.1S 171.1W   1047 AM 03/04
 

POTENTIAL IMPACTS
-----------------
 
  * SEA LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS THAT ARE 3 FEET OR MORE ABOVE AND
    BELOW THE TIDE LEVEL ALONG SOME OR ALL COASTS.
 
  * REPEATED FLOODING AND DRAINING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.
 
  * DESTRUCTION OF SMALLER COASTAL STRUCTURES.
 
  * RAPIDLY FLOWING FLOOD WATER FILLED WITH HAZARDOUS DEBRIS.
 
  * SECONDARY HAZARDS THAT MAY INCLUDE DOWNED POWER LINES...
    FIRES... AND HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS.
 
  * THE HAZARD IS FORECAST TO BEGIN AROUND 1019 AM SST ON
    THURSDAY MARCH 04 AND IT CAN PERSIST FOR MANY HOURS OR
    LONGER.
 

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
---------------------------------
 
  * MAGNITUDE      8.0
  * ORIGIN TIME    828 AM SST MAR 04 2021
  * COORDINATES    29.6 SOUTH  176.0 WEST
  * DEPTH          6 MILES
  * LOCATION       KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
 

NEXT UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
--------------------------------------
 
  * THE NEXT MESSAGE WILL BE ISSUED IN THIRTY MINUTES... OR
    SOONER IF THE SITUATION WARRANTS.
 
  * FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT MAY BE FOUND ON THE
    INTERNET AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.
 
  * AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE FROM THE U.S.
    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT
    EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV.
 
$$
1 follow-up statement
207 
WEZS40 PHEB 042024
TSUPPG
 
ASZ001>003-042224-
/O.CAN.PHEB.TS.W.0002.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
/O.NEW.PHEB.TS.Y.0002.210304T2024Z-000000T0000Z/
 
BULLETIN
TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 2
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
924 AM SST THU MAR 04 2021
 
...A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR AMERICAN SAMOA...
 
IN THIS MESSAGE ARE REVISED ALERTS... AND EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS.
 

AUDIENCE
--------
EMERGENCY MANAGERS... MEDIA... GENERAL PUBLIC
 

EVALUATION
----------
 
  * AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 8.1 OCCURRED IN
    THE KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION AT 828 AM SST ON THURSDAY MARCH
    4 2021.
 
  * A HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI MAY HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY THIS NEARBY
    EARTHQUAKE THAT COULD SOON IMPACT NEARBY COASTS.
 
  * MONITORING IS UNDERWAY TO EVALUATE THE TSUNAMI THREAT.
 
  * A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED BY THIS EARTHQUAKE. BASED ON ALL
    AVAILABLE DATA... THERE IS A THREAT TO AMERICAN SAMOA OF SEA
    LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS AND STRONG OCEAN CURRENTS THAT COULD BE A
    HAZARD ALONG BEACHES... IN HARBORS... AND IN COASTAL WATERS.
 
  * THE EARLIEST ESTIMATED TIME THAT HAZARDOUS SEA LEVEL
    FLUCTUATIONS AND STRONG OCEAN CURRENTS MAY BEGIN IN AMERICAN
    SAMOA IS
 
                 1019 AM SST ON THURSDAY MARCH 04 2021
 

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
-------------------
 
  * PERSONS IN OR NEAR THE OCEAN ALONG THE COASTS OF ALL OF
    AMERICAN SAMOA SHOULD MOVE IMMEDIATELY OUT OF THE WATER AND
    AWAY FROM BEACHES AND HARBORS.
 
  * DO NOT RETURN TO EVACUATED AREAS UNTIL THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN
    BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
 
  * PERSONS IN THE OCEAN SHOULD GET OUT OF THE WATER. PERSONS
    NEAR THE OCEAN SHOULD MOVE AWAY FROM BEACHES AND HARBORS.
 
  * FOLLOW ANY INSTRUCTIONS FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
 

ESTIMATED TIMES OF ARRIVAL
--------------------------
 
  * ESTIMATED TIMES OF ARRIVAL -ETA- OF THE INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE
    ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE
    INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES
    OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO
    ONE HOUR.
 
    LOCATION            REGION    COORDINATES      ETA(SST)
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    TAFUNA              TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1019 AM 03/04
    LEONE               TUTUILA   14.3S 170.8W   1019 AM 03/04
    FAGAMALO            TUTUILA   14.3S 170.8W   1019 AM 03/04
    FAGASA              TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1019 AM 03/04
    AMANAVE             TUTUILA   14.3S 170.8W   1019 AM 03/04
    PAGO PAGO           TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1022 AM 03/04
    VATIA               TUTUILA   14.2S 170.7W   1022 AM 03/04
    MASEFAU             TUTUILA   14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    PAGAI               TUTUILA   14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    AUMI                TUTUILA   14.3S 170.7W   1022 AM 03/04
    TULA                TUTUILA   14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    AUNUU ISLAND        AUNUU     14.3S 170.6W   1022 AM 03/04
    TAU ISLAND          MANUA     14.3S 169.5W   1025 AM 03/04
    OFU ISLAND          MANUA     14.2S 169.7W   1026 AM 03/04
    OLESEGA ISLAND      MANUA     14.2S 169.6W   1026 AM 03/04
    SWAINS ISLAND       SWAINS    11.1S 171.1W   1047 AM 03/04
 

POTENTIAL IMPACTS
-----------------
 
  * SEA LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS THAT ARE GENERALLY NO MORE THAN 3 FEET
    ABOVE AND BELOW THE TIDE LEVEL.
 
  * MINOR FLOODING OF BEACH AND HARBOR AREAS.
 
  * STRONG AND UNUSUAL OCEAN CURRENTS IN HARBORS... BAYS... AND
    OTHER NEAR SHORE WATERS.
 
  * THE HAZARD IS FORECAST TO BEGIN AROUND 1019 AM SST ON
    THURSDAY MARCH 04 AND IT CAN PERSIST FOR MANY HOURS OR
    LONGER.
 

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS - UPDATED
-------------------------------------------
 
  * MAGNITUDE      8.1
  * ORIGIN TIME    828 AM SST MAR 04 2021
  * COORDINATES    29.6 SOUTH  176.0 WEST
  * DEPTH          6 MILES
  * LOCATION       KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
 

NEXT UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
--------------------------------------
 
  * THE NEXT MESSAGE WILL BE ISSUED IN THIRTY MINUTES... OR
    SOONER IF THE SITUATION WARRANTS.
 
  * FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT MAY BE FOUND ON THE
    INTERNET AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.
 
  * AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE FROM THE U.S.
    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT
    EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV.
 
$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS HEB issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 2:24 PM CSTTsunami AdvisoryHEB112 min

Nearby

Tsunami Warnings in American Samoa, 2021Every tsunami warning in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.