Good Morning Britain halted for urgent breaking news as tsunami set to hit Hawaii

On Wednesday, July 30, Good Morning Britain took an unexpected turn when presenter Kate Garraway interrupted the live broadcast to report breaking news. Co-hosting the ITV morning programme alongside Ed Balls, the 58-year-old presenter had just returned to the show when a major international emergency unfolded.

Garraway announced that a powerful earthquake had triggered a tsunami warning for Hawaii. The earthquake, registering a magnitude of 8.8, struck off the southeastern coast of Russia and is now ranked among the six strongest quakes ever recorded.

Due to the severity of the situation, people living along Hawaii’s coastlines were ordered to evacuate to higher ground. Emergency alerts were issued not only in Hawaii but also along the U.S. west coast. Meanwhile, the tsunami’s effects had already begun to impact regions of Japan and the eastern coastline of Russia. An estimated 1.9 million people have been evacuated across affected areas, including personnel at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant.

Addressing viewers directly, Garraway stated: “We’re interrupting this morning’s programme with breaking news — a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake has hit Russia’s east coast, placing both the U.S. and Japan on tsunami alert.”

She added: “This is the sixth most powerful earthquake ever recorded. Hawaii is now preparing for possible devastation, and evacuations from coastal zones are currently underway.”

Live footage from affected regions appeared on-screen, prompting Garraway to comment: “These are live images, and while the sea looks relatively calm right now, reports suggest some wave activity has already been observed. We’ll continue to update you throughout the morning.”

Further updates revealed the earthquake struck shortly after midnight local time. Garraway explained how tsunami warnings were rapidly expanded across the Pacific.

Ed Balls then stepped in to add: “Last night in Japan, around two million people were instructed to evacuate as a precaution.”

Officials in Hawaii have advised residents to seek shelter on the fourth floor or above in any building of ten storeys or more to avoid potential danger.

Hawaii’s Governor, Josh Green, later shared a cautious update, stating that the Big Island had not yet experienced significant wave activity. “We have not yet seen any major waves reach the Big Island. That’s a key indicator. Until then, we cannot confidently say the threat has passed,” he said.

He added: “We hope and pray the tsunami does not cause harm, but we must act on the assumption that it could be deadly.”