Hawaii officials say the timing of the tsunami warning and evacuation orders following this week's massive earthquake off Russia helped make for severe traffic congestion in some areas

Over a million Hawaii residents and visitors spent more than seven hours under threat of a potentially highly destructive tsunami Tuesday that triggered evacuations from low-lying coastal areas statewide.

A significant earthquake struck early Wednesday, prompting officials in both Hawaii and Japan to issue evacuation orders as a precautionary measure. The seismic event, which occurred in the Pacific region,

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center’s latest tsunami warning update for Hawaii says that first waves to hit Kauai measured at amplitude 3 to 4 feet in Hanalei, and 0.7 to 0.8 feet Nawiliwili. Tsunami amplitude is “measured relative to normal sea level,” according to the 8 p.m. update.

Russia’sKamchatka Peninsula was rocked by a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake onTuesday, July 29, sparking fears of a destructive tsunami across the Pacific.But the waves that reached Hawaii and the US West Coast were far smaller thanexpected and caused no damage.