by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a Tsunami Warning for Guam and Saipan. According to the National Weather Service Senior Meteorologist Tom McElroy the estimated time arrival for the tsunami is one o'clock Sunday afternoon.

The tsunami warning is part of a wide spread warning issued for several countries as a result of a massive 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile.

Saturday's Chilean quake has resulted in a massive tsunami warning to be issued for much of the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii and Guam. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center imposed the tsunami warning. Sea level readings confirmed that a tsunami, or series of waves, could cause severe and widespread damage.

The warning center advises that one tsunami wave to the next can be five minutes to an hour and the threat can continue for many hours as multiple waves arrive. Guam Homeland Security and the Office of civil defense could not be reached to provide any other details about the tsunami warning imposed for Guam.

The Office of Homeland Security issued the following release:

TSUNAMI WARNING ISSUED FOR GUAM
Residents advised to avoid low-lying, coastal areas

As of 8:45 p.m. (ChST), a widespread Tsunami Watch was issued for Guam and the surrounding area by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC)/National Weather Service (NWS) following an 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Chile earlier today.

The PTWC is estimating the time of arrival for Guam to occur at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, February 28, 2010. All Residents are advised to avoid all beaches, low-lying areas and are urged to continue to monitor local media for more information.

Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense has been in contact with all stakeholders and will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional instructions as necessary.

For more information please call Lesley Leon Guerrero, Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense Public Affairs Officer at 483-9600 or 687-9109.

Tsunami
Tsunami Safety Tips

(Courtesy Guam Homeland Security/ Office of Civil Defense)

Safety tips

If you are in school, follow the advice of teachers and other school personnel
If you are at home, ensure our entire family is aware of the warning
Evacuate your house if you live in a low-lying area
Follow the advice of local emergency and law enforcement authorities
If you are at the beach, and you feel the earth shake, move immediately to higher ground; DO NOT wait for the tsunami warning to be announced
Stay away from rivers that lead to the ocean
Do not go to the shoreline to watch for a tsunami; when you can see the wave, it is too late to escape
If you are on a boat, do not return to port; tsunamis can cause rapid changes in water level and unpredictable dangerous currents in harbors/ports
Stay away from the area until local authorities say it is safe

Tsunami Evacuation/ Staging Sites

Agana (downtown) low-lying areas
- Head to Agana Heights (Government House Overflow Parking Lot)
East Agana low-lying areas
- Head to Tiyan (Guam Police Headquarters) using Route 8
Agat low-lying areas
- From Namu River (Old Agat) to the Old Cemetery head to Southern High
- From Old Cemetery to Fanili area head to Oceanview Middle School
- Umang area head to Umang Road (inland)
- Pagachao area head to Mao Drive (Pagachao Subdivision)
- From Nimitz Beach Park to Talayac head to Upper Santa Ana (Transfer Station)
Anigua low-lying areas
- Head to Agana Heights (Government House Overflow Parking Lot) using Route 7
Asan and Maina low-lying areas
- Head to Nimitz Hill (Baseball Field) using Route 6
Inarajan low-lying areas
- From Lada through Inarajan Pool head to Ija Subdivision
- From Ajayan Point through Lada head to UOG Farm
- Village Area head to Inarajan Elementary School
- Chagami and Chagamin Lagu area head to Southern Regional Public Health
Merizo low-lying areas
- From Chalan Pedro Tainatongo thorugh Chalan Quinene head to Chalan Jesus Quinene
- From Chalan Quinene to Chalan J. A. Cruz head to Merizo Elementary/Community Center
- From Chalan J. A. Cruz to Bile head to Fort Soledad
Piti low-lying areas
- Head to Top O' The Mar parking lot (Route 6)
Ordot/Chalan Pago low-lying areas
- Pago Bay head to Ordot/Chalan Pago Community Center or M. U. Lujan Elementary School in Yona
Talofofo low-lying areas
- From Togcha Elementary to Beja Road head to Windward Hills Golf Course area using Route 17
- From Beja Road to Talofofo Bay (surf area) head to Notre Dame School using Route
Tamuning/Tumon low-lying areas
- From Alupang area through Oka Point head to ITC Building or U.S. Postal area (Route 1, 14, 30, and 30A)
- From Ypao Point to Ypao Beach head to St. Anthony Church
- From Ypao Beach to Fujita Hotel head to JFK High School (Route 14A)
- From Fujita Hotel through Gun Beach head to Pia Marine (Pale San Vitores)
Umatac low-lying areas
- From Toguan through Sanchez Elementary School head to Fort Soledad area
- From Sanchez Elementary School through Castizo area head to I Memorias Para I Laahita Vista Points