A tsunami generated by an earthquake in Canada hit the US state of Hawaii late Saturday, an official from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center announced late Saturday (Sunday afternoon in Manila).
"The tsunami is arriving right now," Gerard Fryer, a senior geophysicist with the center, told reporters. "It is coming in as we speak."
A major 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of Canada late Saturday, US government researchers said.
The epicenter of the tremor, which occurred at 8:04 pm (0304 GMT Sunday) was located 139 kilometers (86 miles) south of the town of Masset, the US Geological Survey said.
Numerous aftershocks, some as large as magnitude 4.6, followed the initial quake, Canadian officials reported.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, meanwhile, assured there is no threat of tsunami in the Philippines.
Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum, in a text message, said: "Based on the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center latest bulletin released related to the Queen Charlotte Islands region earthquake, there is no destructive widespread threat for the Pacific Ocean. This information covers the Philippines."
He said Phivolcs will continuously monitor the situation. – with Agence France Presse
source: abs-cbnnews.com
