Tsunami crushes 35 boats in Californian harbour

By Khanyisa Tabata
12 March 2011

The tsunami that rushed across the Pacific following the massive earthquake that destroyed huge parts of Japan crushed at least 35 boats in a northern Californian harbour.

Nearly eight thousand people were told to evacuate from the harbour area in Crescent City, north of San Francisco. A spokesperson says the surge was measured at two-point-five metres.

Initial reports from US civil defence officials and residents of coastal communities suggested the force of the tsunami had dissipated as it sped across the Pacific Ocean toward North America.

In Hawaii, the main airports on at least three of the major islands - Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii - were shut down as a precaution, and the US navy ordered all warships in Pearl Harbour to remain in port to support rescue missions as needed.

Ecuador took extreme precautions after president Rafael Correa declared a state of emergency across the Andean nation, urging residents to move inland.

The area at risk includes the Galapagos Islands - a popular tourist destination known for its incredible wildlife, including endangered species