Illinois Family Faces Tsunami Warning During Hawaii Vacation

VANDALIA, Ill. — An Illinois family’s vacation in Hawaii turned chaotic after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia triggered tsunami warnings on Wednesday.

Jeff Endres, who was on vacation with his family, described the experience as something he never wants to face again. “We were expecting it to be a memorable trip making good memories,” he said. “Unexpectedly, we got a memory we would never forget.”

The Endres family was touring the volcanoes near Hilo when the Hawaiian Islands were placed under a tsunami warning. “The driver said he would get us back to the ship on time,” Endres explained. “At that time, we didn’t even have an idea what time the ship was leaving.”

Upon returning to the port, the family witnessed chaos. “There were hundreds and hundreds of people standing there watching the ship sail away,” Endres said. “It was very disorganized and there were children crying.”

In the confusion, a volunteer shuttle driver took the Endres family to a local high school gymnasium. “It took us a little over two hours to go 4 miles to higher ground,” Endres said. “The traffic was a nightmare. It was chaos everywhere.”

After sleeping on a bus for the night, the family was relieved when the cruise ship returned to port the next day. “The passengers that were on the cruise ship were all on the decks and they started clapping for us,” Endres recalled.

Endres reflected on their ordeal, acknowledging it could have been worse. “I would describe it as a once in a lifetime experience that I hope I never have to go through again,” he shared.

The Norwegian Cruise Line has offered to refund 20% of the cost of their cruise and reimburse all expenses the Endres family incurred on the island. The ship is expected to return to port in Honolulu on Saturday.