Hawaii Island Awaits Hurricane Fernanda

HONOLULU - Hawaii Island residents stocked up on emergency supplies and officials closed beaches and opened shelters in anticipation of the arrival today of Hurricane Fernanda.

Sirens on Hawaii Island, the state's southernmost point, sounded yesterday with the posting of a hurricane warning, forecasting winds of at least 74 mph.

The rest of the state was placed under a less severe hurricane watch and high-surf advisory, the National Weather Service said.

Meanwhile, the Army reported its chemical weapons facility on Johnston Atoll escaped undamaged last night when Hurricane Keoni swept past about 180 miles south of the island. Most personnel had been evacuated from the atoll, located 700 miles south of Hawaii.

Fernanda, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and gusts to 125 mph, was expected to remain about 150 miles offshore as it moved up the eastern coasts of the Hawaiian Islands at 12 mph, weather service forecaster Thomas Kawamoto said.

As of last night, Fernanda was 360 miles east of Hilo, on Hawaii Island, the first island to feel the effects of the storm.

All beach parks on the island were evacuated and closed yesterday, said Harry Kim, administrator of Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.

"All coastal areas on the east side of the island are on alert for possible evacuation," Kim said.

Emergency shelters were opened in anticipation of high winds and flooding, he said. By late Sunday, about 160 people who did not feel safe in their own homes went to nine shelters, said Wendell Hatada of the Civil Defense Agency.

Waves generated by the hurricane reached 8 to 12 feet, with forecasters predicting the surf would eventually increase to 15 to 25 feet.

The Food Fair Super Market in Hilo sold out of batteries. Bread, canned meats and matches also went quickly, grocery manager Aaron Mar said.

Other islands, including Oahu, where Honolulu is located, were not expected to experience the potentially damaging winds and flash flooding until tonight or tomorrow, the weather service said.

In 1992, Hurricane Iniki slammed into the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing five people and causing more than $1.6 billion damage.

More than 900 military and civilian personnel were evacuated from Johnston Atoll beginning Saturday night. Some 133 people, classified as essential personnel, had been left behind to ride out the storm, said Army spokeswoman Marjorie Barrell.

The Army's $500 million chemical-weapons storage and incinerator facility is built to withstand hurricane-force winds, Barrell said.