Officials in Hawaii reopened the state's ports on Sunday and canceled a tsunami advisory as fears receded that there would be damaging waves from a powerful earthquake off the coast of Canada.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its tsunami advisory just before 4 a.m. local time, three hours after downgrading from a warning and less than six hours after the waves first hit the islands.
The Coast Guard said Honolulu Harbor and all other Hawaii harbors were reopened and operating normally by the afternoon.
Center officials said wave heights had diminished, though swimmers and boaters should be careful of strong or unusual currents.
The biggest waves â€" about 5 feet high â€" appeared to hit Maui. A popular triathlon set for the island was expected to go on as planned, with county lifeguards giving the OK for a 1 mile ocean swim.
There were no immediate reports of damage, though one person died in a fatal crash near a road that was closed because of the threat near Oahu's north shore.
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie said the state was lucky to avoid more severe surges.
"We're very, very grateful that we can go home tonight counting our blessings," Abercrombie said.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service canceled tsunami advisories for Canada, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California.
AP
Mike Nakamoto of Honolulu prepare's his client's boat moored at the Ala Wai Harbor to take it to deep water after learning of a tsunami warning Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, in Honolulu. A tsunami warning has been issued for Hawaii after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked an island off the west coast of Canada. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center originally said there was no threat to the islands, but a warning was issued later Saturday and remains in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday. A small craft advisory is in effect until Sunday morning.(AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)
Close At first, officials said Hawaii wasn't in any danger of a tsunami after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which sparked tsunami warnings for southern Alaska and western Canada.
Later, officials issued a warning for Hawaii as well, saying there had been a change in sea readings. About the same time, a tsunami advisory was issued for a 450-mile stretch of U.S. coast running from north of San Francisco to central Oregon.
A small tsunami created by the quake was barely noticeable in Craig, Alaska, where the first wave or surge was recorded Saturday night.
The warning in Hawaii spurred residents to stock up on essentials at gas stations and grocery stores and sent tourists in beachside hotels to higher floors in their buildings. Bus service into Waikiki was cut off an hour before the first waves, and police in downtown Honolulu shut down a Halloween block party.
Abercrombie proclaimed an emergency, mobilizing extra safety measures.
In Alaska, the initial wave or surge was recorded at 4 inches, much smaller than forecast, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The first wave hit Craig about two hours after the earthquake. Surges at other Alaska communities were later recorded at 6 inches, while others were much smaller.
A dispatcher with the Del Norte County Sheriff's said no damage was reported in Crescent City, a tiny fishing community in far Northern California, or in any other locations along the county's coast.
A tsunami warning means an area is likely to be hit by a wave, while an advisory means there may be strong currents, but that widespread inundation is not expected to occur.
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Oskar Garcia can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/oskargarcia .
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Associated Press writers Mark Thiessen and Rachel D'Oro in Anchorage, Alaska, Christina Hoag and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles and John S. Marshall in San Francisco contributed to this report.
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