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2011 Tsunami

December 29, 2025
Categories: 
2010ʻs, HIEMA History

March 11, 2011, Tsunami Warning and Response The State was impacted by a tsunami caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake from Honshu Japan on March 11, 2011. Gov. Neil Abercrombie and his cabinet worked seamlessly throughout the evening of March 10 and early morning of March 11 securing State facilities and rendering support to county agencies, federal organizations, and to the general public for the purpose of saving lives and preventing property damage.

Within two weeks of the tsunami disaster, Abercrombie submitted a request to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide low interest disaster loans to homeowners, businesses, and renters in Hawaii County. Through the coordinating leadership and efforts of State Civil Defense, SBA low interest disaster loans were subsequently authorized for Maui County and for the City and County of Honolulu.

On April 8, 2011, Pres. Barack Obama approved the governor’s request for federal disaster assistance for the repair of public infrastructure damaged by the tsunami. As a result the state, including the counties of Hawaii, Maui, and the City and County of Honolulu, was made eligible to receive Public Assistance Grant Funds.

2011 Annual Report pp. 19-20