This cache is to draw attention to the critical work of The National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC). There are two U.S. tsunami warning centers run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). One here in Ewa Beach, the other one in Alaska.
The warning centers were established in 1949, after the deadly April Fools Day tsunami in 1946. A 7.4 Richter scale earthquake originated in the Aleutian Islands, and sent a wall of water to the vulnerable coastlines. Waves traveled down to Hawaii at 500 miles an hour and were 55 feet high, killing 165 people in Hawaii and Alaska.
Growing up here, we heard old timers talk about the 1960 Hilo tsunami where the villagers saw the water receed and ran out to collect fish flopping around , then were killed when the water came back in . Tsunami education and technology has helped save lives.
In my lifetime there have been a few false warnings and a couple small tsunami that caused a some damage but nothing major. Some experts say that a major one is due so if you see the water recede run for higher ground