HONOLULU, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The first wave of the tsunami caused by Magnitude 8.9 Japan earthquake reached the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu early Friday and brought no damages to the coastal area.
The wave arrived on Oahu and a small-scale surge was apparent on the Diamond Head camera, the National Weather Service said. The gauge at Nawiliwili Harbor has registered a 1.5 foot(0.46 meter) increase and was rising, according to the service.
A 6.5-foot(2 meter) tsunami was expected to reach Kauai, the westernmost islands on the chain of Hawaiian island, at 3:07 a.m. (1303 GMT) local time after it passed Midway Island at a height of 8.2 feet(2.5 meter), the weather service said.
The weather service warned people that there would be a series of waves, and the first wave may not be the biggest.
The tsunami was caused by a devastating M 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan early Friday afternoon. The tremor and massive tsunami have killed at least 32 people in Honshu, Japan.
Sirens were sounded in Honolulu about 30 minutes after the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, headquartered in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, issued warning at 9:31 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST), alerting people in coastal areas to evacuate.
"Leave all coastal evacuation zones immediately. Refer to Hawaiian Telcom or Paradise Pages for evacuation maps," it said.
Hawaii Civil Defense urged all residents in tsunami inundation zones to evacuate immediately.
About 70 percent of Hawaii's population resides in Honolulu, and as many as 100,000 tourists are in the city on any given day.
"The danger can continue for many hours after the initial wave as subsequent waves arrive," said the center. "All shores are at
risk no matter which direction they face."
The authorities have beefed up its preparedness against the potential hazard.
People at the island of Oahu were barred from entering tsunami inundation zones after 2 a.m.Friday morning. Mayor Peter Carlisle asked resident to stop shopping and waiting in long lines to fill up their vehicles with gas,conserve water and stay off the roads. Visitors should follow the advice of hotel staff, he advised. 
