Hawaii’s tsunami threat was being assessed after a powerful earthquake struck near Panama on October 9, 2026. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) initially reported the earthquake at magnitude 8.0 and warned that tsunami waves could affect parts of the Pacific closer to the quake’s location.
It was an information statement, and residents were not asked to take immediate action. This was a preliminary estimate and did not confirm that tsunami waves would reach the islands. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) reported an earthquake near Panama on October 9, 2026, with a preliminary magnitude of 8.0. The PTWC said the earliest a potential tsunami hazard could begin in Hawaii was estimated at 7:05 p.m. HST on Friday, October 9.
The official notice said it was too early to determine whether Hawaii faced a tsunami threat. The centre said a tsunami threat existed for parts of the Pacific closer to the earthquake, but it was too early to determine whether Hawaii would also be affected.
The latest statement clarified that Hawaii was not under a tsunami threat, despite the earlier assessment while officials reviewed the earthquake data.
