HONOLULU (AP) — Residents of parts of Hawaii have been shaking as they await the arrival of two hurricanes, but it’s not out of fear.
Hawaii’s Big Island was hit with a 4.5 magnitude earthquake today, just hours before the first of two hurricanes swirling toward the islands was scheduled to hit.
The quake didn’t cause any major damage. It struck as residents were waking up to make last-minute trips to grocery stores and boarding up their homes ahead of the first hurricane set to hit the Hawaiian islands in more than two decades.
At a grocery store in Waimea (wy-MAY’-uh), an employee said the quake felt like a “little jolt,” but it didn’t knock things off the shelves.
Hurricane Iselle (ee-SEHL’) was supposed to weaken as it moved across the Pacific, but it didn’t do so. Following close behind is Hurricane Julio, which strengthened early today into a Category 2 storm.
State officials say the islands are ready for the storms. They say people should prepare, but not panic.
Iselle is expected to arrive on the Big Island this evening, bringing heavy rains and winds gusting up to 85 miles an hour, with flooding in some areas. Julio’s maximum winds are whipping at 105 miles an hour. Forecasters expect it to get stronger before gradually weakening by tonight.
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179-c-16-(Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, AP correspondent)-“of hunkering down”-AP correspondent Jennifer Sinco Kelleher reports the big island of Hawaii is bracing for its first hurricanes in 22 years. (7 Aug 2014)
< 185-a-05-(Craig Fugate (FYOO’-gayt), FEMA administrator, in AP interview)-“population and vulnerabilities”-FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate says the basic fact that Hawaii is an island chain can make storm response tricky. (7 Aug 2014) < APPHOTO LA102: This Aug. 5, 2014 satellite image provided by NASA shows two tropical Pacific Ocean hurricanes – Iselle at center and Julio at right – bearing down on Hawaii, top left. Hurricane Iselle is expected to reach Hawaii Thursday night, Aug. 7, 2014. Tracking close behind it is Hurricane Julio, which strengthened early Thursday into a Category 2 storm. (AP Photo/NASA) (5 Aug 2014) < APPHOTO RPAM101: People lounge on Waikiki’s beaches in Honolulu on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. Hawaii residents prepared for what could be the first hurricane to hit the state in more than 20 years as weather officials said an approaching storm appears to have strengthened and will likely maintain its speed as it heads toward the islands. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) (6 Aug 2014) < Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.