Rachel Burrows, a British woman on a cruise vacation, never expected her trip to Hawaii’s Big Island to turn so frightening. On July 29, while exploring the island, Rachel and thousands of others received urgent tsunami warnings on their phones. The alerts came after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering waves over five feet high that started hitting Hawaiian shores.
Emergency services quickly ordered immediate evacuation from low coastal areas. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicted waves would arrive by early evening, spreading panic across the islands. Residents scrambled to escape flooding as officials urged everyone to move to higher ground.
'It was quite scary'
British tourist Rachael Burrows is on a cruise ship off the coast of Hawaii, and spoke to #BBCBreakfast about being evacuated from the island due to tsunami warnings triggered by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula… pic.twitter.com/bKb2KTOqcl
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 30, 2025
Rachel described how her tour bus suddenly stopped near a chocolate factory, where the owner quickly told them to leave and head back to the cruise ship. With sirens blaring, passengers rushed in fear to get on board. Rachel and other travelers were among the last to return to the ship before it sailed to safer waters. Though the warning was later downgraded to an advisory, officials stressed continued caution, closing beaches and advising ships to move offshore.
This dramatic experience shows how quickly a peaceful trip can turn into an emergency and highlights the importance of prompt preparation when nature strikes unexpectedly.
