🚨 Don’t Panic, Prepare: The Real Danger in Tsunami Evacuations Isn’t the Ocean — It’s Us
Last night in Kihei, during the tsunami evacuation order, we witnessed something more dangerous than the wave itself: human panic.
With only two main roads in and out of Kihei, traffic congestion quickly spiraled into chaos. Drivers abandoned reason and respect for others — weaving through lanes, driving up on sidewalks and bike paths, cutting through intersections, and ignoring emergency signage. It was frustrating, dangerous, and completely avoidable.
Let’s be honest: the real danger in many tsunami evacuations isn’t the wave — it’s our own behavior.
💥 Panic Makes Things Worse — Not Safer
In most tsunami events in Hawaiʻi — especially those triggered by distant earthquakes — we are given hours of warning. We don’t need to flee like it’s a Hollywood disaster movie.
But when fear takes over:
Drivers take unnecessary risks.
People act selfishly and erratically.
Lives are endangered — not by the ocean, but by traffic accidents, blocked emergency access, or violence born of stress.
Tsunami alerts are serious, but panicking is never part of the solution.
🚦 The Dangers of Disorderly Evacuation
What we saw last night in Kihei was exactly what we hope to avoid in future emergencies:
People driving on sidewalks, endangering pedestrians and bikers.
Cars cutting across private property and medians.
Emergency vehicles unable to reach areas due to congestion or reckless drivers.
Bystanders, children, kupuna, and pets at risk — not from the tsunami, but from frightened neighbors.
This kind of behavior is not heroic. It’s not survival. It’s selfish — and it puts others at serious risk.
🧠 Preparation Prevents Panic
The best way to avoid chaos during a tsunami warning is to prepare ahead of time — calmly and intentionally.
✅ Tips for an Orderly, Safe Evacuation:
Know your evacuation zone in advance and plan your route to higher ground.
Keep your vehicle’s gas tank above half during tsunami season — no panic-buying required.
Pack your evacuation bag in advance: medications, documents, ID, snacks, pet supplies.
Leave early. Don’t wait for the sirens.
Drive respectfully. Follow traffic laws. Yield to emergency services.
Avoid congested areas — know alternative inland locations like Kihei Tech Park or Upcountry lots.
Stay updated using apps like Genasys Protect™ or Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
🤝 Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem
It’s better to be a source of calm than a cause of panic. If you’re prepared, others around you may feel safer too. But if you panic and act selfishly, you become part of the emergency — not the solution.
Kihei is our home. In a disaster, our community only survives if we look out for each other.
Let’s not let panic be what puts us at the greatest risk. Prepare. Stay calm. Evacuate early. And above all, don’t let fear turn you into a danger to others.
Let’s keep our town safe — together.
