Does PTWC issue evacuation orders?
In the case of a tsunami warning issued to Hawaiʻi, PTWC makes the decision whether evacuations are necessary, and the evacuations are coordinated by civil defense authorities. Outside Hawaiʻi, PTWC has no responsibility or authority to directly warn the public or issue evacuation orders. Local civil defense authorities are the ones who receive PTWC’s messages and take appropriate action, which could include sounding sirens, evacuating beaches, and activating the Emergency Alert System.
