Wednesday evening in Waikiki ended in classic Hawaiian style, with a stunning red, orange and gold sunset, children laughing and splashing in waves lapping the shore – and parents sipping cocktails from plastic cups.

A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 16 feet nearby, and sparked evacuation orders in Japan, Hawaii and across the Pacific on Wednesday (July 30).

Passengers of the Pride of America from Norwegian Cruise Line docked in Hilo were expected to return to the harbor for a departure time of 6 p.m. Once the state of Hawaii declared a state of emergency due to the tsunami at approximately 2:45 p.m., the cruise liner had to abruptly set sail at 4 p.m.

A tsunami warning on Tuesday, July 29, caused overnight road closures across Hawaiʻi. However, by sunrise, roads and harbors reopened with help from the military and the United States Coast Guard.