While those of us on the East Coast of the United States have been watching the approach of the “superstorm” Hurricane Sandy, residents of the Hawaiian islands were under a tsunami warning following a a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Canada’s Pacific coastal province of British Columbia late on Saturday.  At least 100,000 people were advised to evacuated to higher ground on the warning.  The warning was downgraded to an advisory – a lower-level alert – shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday.

Hawaii tsunami warning lifted after 100,000 flee to higher ground

A tsunami warning prompted by a powerful earthquake off the Canadian coast sent at least 100,000 people fleeing from shore to higher ground in Hawaii late on Saturday, but an evacuation order was canceled after a series of weaker-than-expected waves rolled through the islands.