A magnitude 7.4 earthquake which triggered a Kalapana-sized slump would produce a tsunami almost identical to the one modeled here. Because the source is immediately offshore, the first wave reaches the coast in only three minutes. From Kailua to Miloli'i, runup averages over 5 meters. Again, our inundation modeling will address this . Most of the energy is radiated out to the WSW, but the Hawaiian Seamounts divert significant energy, putting western Kauai and Niihau at moderate risk.
Waves propagating up the chain threaten the southern shores of the other islands.
2.1 Mbyte Shoal water south of Lanai slows waves down and diverts them into the Kealaikahiki Channel between Lanai and Kahoolawe. Flooding would be damaging at Olowalu on Maui and severe at Hulopoe Bay and Kaumalapau on Lanai. The tsunami would cause flooding at Sandy Beach on O'ahu and along the western shore of Molokai. No quantitative assessment of wave heights along south O'ahu and south Molokai can be made until we perform more detailed modeling which takes into account the offshore reefs. As with the South Kona tsunami modeling, we see again that Penguin Bank would experience very large waves, possibly breaking waves at its shallow western tip.