by Mindy Aguon

Guam - As Guam remains under a tsunami warning, prompted by Saturday's 8.8 earthquake in Chile, all public beaches have been closed as of 5:30 Sunday morning. The Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense has also decided to open the island's Emergency Operations Center.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and National Weather Service estimate the first tsunami to hit Guam around 1:11 this afternoon. Residents and tourists are reminded to avoid all beaches and low-lying areas. The beaches will remain closed until further notice. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is standing by to assist Hawaii and the territories in the Pacific Ocean should a tidal wave hit.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said, "FEMA stands ready to assist should a request for assistance be made, and does have pre-deployed assets in Hawaii, including food, water, generators and other resources."

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