U.S. TV presenter Jimmy Kimmel was evacuated from his hotel in Bora Bora in the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami as tidal wave warnings were issued to islands across the Pacific. The last tsunami in Bora Bora occurred on March 11, 2011. The thousands that died in 5-Stars hotels in Southeast Asia with the 2004 tsunami didnt have that chance and absolutely no warning. Compared to other countries, Tsunamis therefore occur rather rarely. Sent an email to the hotel itself to see what other measures they may have and waiting for a reply. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Otemanu. Im sorry but thats what you get for traveling during the low-, rain season, where the prices are cheaper (for a reason !). Youre not the only one. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Having ample advance notice and having a tsunami warning system in place is key to being able to get to safety in time. One of the 118 islands of French Polynesia, surrounded by thousands of miles of Pacific Ocean, it's a favorite honeymoon spot. Totally understandable (safety first! A celebration of music, dance, song and craft with traditional sports competitions, it is an unbeatable experience with a vivid and exciting atmosphere. If youre visiting Bora Bora soon then you might be wondering if Bora Bora gets hurricanes or tsunamis. If the whales are in moving or breaching phase, you will keep a safe distance. In 2011 the tragic 8.9 Tohoky earthquake hit Japan, sending a tsunami warning across the Pacific. Karine says she has no idea how long we will be stuck here but they will continue to provide food and water and try to make us as comfortable as possible. They are able to cross entire oceans without great loss of energy. And NO, YOU CAN'T OUTRUN A TSUNAMI. Within the confines of the spa, the gym is a single room that barely exceeds the approximate square footage of my bungalow. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-21676430', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');flight back to Papeete, then onto LAX, They did say how impressed in how the islanders, hoteliers handled the whole tsunami and never felt in danger. Forced to abandon my solitude, it looks like Ill be waiting this thing out with the rest of the hotels guests. Since 1837, there have been 13 tidal waves that have been classified as tsunamis in the whole of French Polynesia, causing just 2 deaths. So thats where our little group spends most of the next few hours. Even in milder storms, it does get very windy and wet and you may feel a little cold. Read More: Where are the Maldives? In a briefing, a Japan Meteorological Agency official urged people not to go near the sea until the tsunami advisory and more serious tsunami warnings had been lifted. My Dad for staying on top of the weather situation (youd be amazed how hard it is to get good weather info for Bora Bora) and texting me updates. What you must realize is it makes no difference where in the world you are staying in an oceanfront location if the earthquake happens relatively close to where you are. A tsunami can arrive within minutes of a tremor or earthquake. Luckily, the spa never loses power or cable so we are able to monitor the storm about once an hour when CNN International does an update. "We do not know yet whether these (waves) are actually tsunami," he told the briefing. *Price shown is per person based on double occupancy and includes airfare from Los Angeles International Airport or Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The last tsunami in French Polynesia occurred in 2015 and nobody was hurt. But eventually, we board just as the sun is setting over Polynesian paradise. Hi, my name is Meg and, you guessed it, I love to travel. Get updates from the U.S. Tsunami Warning System. Yes, it's probably a bit annoying to have a red alert and have nothing come of itbut it's better to be safe than sorry! The study of the earth and its features, inhabitants, and phenomena. I gather the essentials (laptop, cell phone, camera, passport, book to read, etc. BUT over the summer peak months of June, July, August and the December Christmas to New year period, the resorts will be booked out. Nowadays these racing machines with sophisticated paddles specially shaped for faster speeds are most popular. Did French Polynesia get hit by the tsunami? We cant understand why they wont release us. The island looks amazing and would really like to get there to see it first hand! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. and evencocktails! Its at this point in my story that I should mention that February (the month of my visit) is historically cyclone season in the South Pacific. The Novotel is my budget hotel choice for my stay on the island. For context, the other 12 tsunamis rarely exceeded 3 meters. So in case of bad weather, we have some flexibility to postpone. My girlfriends & I decided to eat the cost of the airfare rather than risk 6 nights at the Four Seasons OTWB we had booked for 1/25-31. Theres a bottle of champagne waiting and a wide viewing window in the floor (known locally as Tahitian Television). Tsunamis In French Polynesia Its also good to know that all hotels and resorts have evacuation plans in place and a tsunami warning system just in case. I live in bora bora,,all i can say is you suffered some bad timing,,you have to stay long enough to learn the people to get what you want or need,,storms come and go,,,the place is paradise! What if Air France doesnt send one of their big, fancy planes to an island just coming up for air after a cyclone? I'd say it is relatively high risk as it sits in a zone surrounded by subduction zones. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Eleven tsunamis have been recorded in Fiji, of which three were generated within Fiji waters. The phone next to the bed (which I hadnt noticed until now) is ringing insistently. Affiliate Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. That's great!!!!! Bora Bora is one of the few places in the world where you can swim with these magnificent mammals . If you are far enough offshore, there is nothing being tossed around that can kill you. On Day #5, its time to move over to my final hotel for the week, the Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort. Im actually starting to enjoy my little 5-star storm shelter. Lagoon water temperatures, of 26C (80F) and above, mean that you can swim every month of the year at the beautiful Bora Bora beaches . Especially when other resorts seemed to have no problem providing reasonable comforts during the lengthy storm. Bring blow dryer, flat iron and specific anti-frizz products. Tahiti and her Islands has been designated as a sanctuary for these mammals. The tsunami caused damages in 5 further countries. Im currently stuck in PHL on my way back from a Kaizen (its one of those brain storming forms of management) in Orlando. The warnings - the first in more than five years - covered several specific areas. Tsunami waves can be very long (as much as 60 miles, or 100 kilometers) and be as far as one hour apart. 30 minutes later a bellman in a golf cart pulls up outside to deliver me to 5-star luxury on higher ground. Despite this, evidence suggests that catastrophic collapses do occur on Hawaiian volcanoes and generate local tsunamis. Soils of war: The toxic legacy for Ukraine's breadbasket, South African scientists use bugs in war against water hyacinth weed, Reporting by Jahnavi Nidumolu and Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru, Renju Jose in Sydney and Chang-Ran Kim in Tokyo Last Minute Hotels in Bora Bora; By Hotel Type Bora Bora Campgrounds; Bora Bora Hostels; Romantic Hotels Bora Bora; Luxury Hotels Bora Bora; Bora . But at this point I will gladly navigate the Sahara desert to get back to my room. Thanks Patti. When I first arrived on Bora Bora, there were warnings issued for Tropical Cyclone Nisha. If you do choose to travel during Bora Boras hurricane season then make sure you bring along a raincoat and some warmer clothes just in case. Lots of rain here though. I share my concern about whether my flight to LA will still leave tomorrow morning. If a hurricane poses any sort of danger then your hotel or resort will evacuate you and take you to safety. Yesterday there was about 3 ft between platform and water. And then around noon, the power goes out. Earthquakes in Chile (Central Chile) with a magnitude of 8.3. A decent budget hotel in Bora Bora? Is the french polynesia at risk at the moment? I hadn't seen or heard anything about it reaching that far, but does anyone know for sure? Definitely not risk free. There were a few people scheduled to leave yesterday, PLUS those of us who are scheduled to leave today, so seats on that flight will surely be at a premium. Thats why Ive put together this ultimate guide which covers when the hurricane season is and if Bora Bora is safe from tsunamis. The super active earthquake zones are not near as close to French Polynesia as they are to Samoaso it is highly unlikely that a large magnitude quake would occur close enough to Bora Bora to offer no evacuation time. I guess there are worse things. Its about as helpful as dropping an ice cube into a pot of boiling water but at least its a start. Bora Bora, the Pearl of the Pacific, is located in the southern hemisphere. CIRA/NOAA/Handout via REUTERS. The novotel rooms by the looks of the pictures seemed much more robust against hazardous weather than those bungalows, which makes sense they couldve stayed in their rooms. Im told that when the islands get bad storms, the airline will often call guests at their hotel (its a tiny island) and advise them that their flight has been moved up a day due to approaching bad weather. Anyone hear a report? This is especially crucial because the Air Tahiti flights have extremely low baggage limits due to the weight restrictions for their aircraft. Karine whips out a small basket containing all of our key packets and begins to distribute them. Should I be trying to get out now, I ask, or do they expect this cyclone to miss us?. Cookie Notice Their response is more reassuring. See full Affiliate Disclosure here. I think the way they managed the situation was good considering no one died (after all, it is a tropical cyclone were talking about). Can they really not use one of those golf carts runs to bring up a case of beer or soda to at least make us all a little more comfortable? Adding to our frustration, it becomes obvious that the hotel staff are hunkered down in a separate shelter somewhere, clearly having more fun than we are. Its summit is Mount Otemanu located in the center of the atoll; another summit, Mount Pahia, on the main island, is 661 m (2,169 ft) high. Its far more pleasant out there even while getting pelted with rain and dirt(which should tell you something about the conditions inside). New Caledonia, Where are the Maldives? 5-star hotel or not, nature stays nature with all its hazards. If you want to save a lot of money on your Bora Bora vacation, dont go over the summer high season. Every year over the same time period, humpback whales come to French Polynesia from Antarctica. Even my small carry-on size bag would have weighed too much if I hadnt taken 1/3 of the stuff out of it and left it at the Tiare. Read More: Nothing Prepares you for India. And at $140/night, its just about the cheapest thing in town. However, for the past 24-hours, Ive heard increasingly worrying rumors of a tropical cyclone developing strength and heading our way. Read More: Paris in the Pacific: Bonjour! Hi Tom, definitely bad timing! Everything upstairs is boarded up tight so we cant even hear whats going on outside. With the timing of international flight arrivals and departures, its often necessary to spend your first or last night on Tahiti before transferring to Bora Bora or Moorea. and our I call the front desk to inquire as to whether the whole resort has lost power or is it just me? When I arrive, there are only about 10 other people in the room already making up their mattresses. Bora Bora Tourism . Also got a reassuring reply from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Well keep us informed. I think it is a very interesting story to learn from and am glad that you posted. The next time we crack the door to look out, the huge palm is on the ground exactly where we were just standing. In New Zealand, the emergency management agency issued an advisory on tsunami activity for the country's north and east coasts, forecasting strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges along shorelines in those areas. The trade winds blow over winter time which keeps temperatures cooler. Theres just something about surviving a tropical cyclone on a tiny dot of sand in the South Pacific that gives you pause. On 04/01/1946, this tsunami killed a total of 2 people. Hope the Hawaiian islands will come out ok! . tsunami has already been and gone down there. Jese Tuisinu, a television reporter at Fiji One, posted a video on Twitter showing large waves crashing ashore, with people trying to flee in their cars. This time my room is much larger and nicer, which was a lovely surprise after a stressful day. The only thing we had going over everyone else is that most of them spent the whole night in lockdown and werent released until almost 9:00am (4 hours longer than us). While we wait, we strike up conversations with other passengers and begin an unscientific poll about everyones evacuation experience. On the plus side, my overwater bungalow at the Meridien is completely wonderful and has stunning views of Bora Boras famous Mt. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. It was 5:00am by this time17 hours of misery in paradise. The last one to pass through Bora Bora was Cyclone Olii in early 2010, . Its a short 10-15 minute ride around the island to the hotel and as I checked in the rain is still unrelenting. Answer 1 of 6: Hi all, My husband was worried that Bora Bora was affected by the tsunami the other day. They were probably saving food in case you had to stay for 3 nights there. Including all the windows & deck furniture on every guest bungalows. Anyone hear a report? Heiva takes place in July and is the highlight of local tradition and culture. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding the best time to visit Bora Bora. Luxurious hotels, each one trying to surpass the others, in terms of elegance and comfort I ask, Does that mean you wont give me a key to my room? The response gives me pause, that is correct, Madam.. As long as I still have A/C and internet, I could stay here forever. Then she proceeds to give an update on the weather situation. Needless to say, its a less than glamorous start to my 8 nights in Tahiti. Meanwhile if anybody knows of any other helpful info on the islet itself, please let us know. Around 8:00pm, as we are all standing outside chatting and watching the storm, the wind picks up in intensity knocking us off balance. The first few are sighted in June and the last ones depart our islands in early December. ), throw it in my backpack, and make my way up the hill to join the rest of the nervous-looking guests. I would not be so lucky with Tropical Cyclone Oli. The. Two plates subduct, one side is uplifted, this causes a huge column of water to be displaced, it splits in two with one going to land and one to sea, the one arrriving at the shore creates a surge of water. As Bora Bora is located in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, it is vulnerable to tidal waves including tsunamis. A total of 124 humans died. The tsunami also reached United States, Chile. So in love, in fact, that I confidently proclaimed it the most beautiful place Ive ever seen., Read More: Blue Lagoon Paradise in Moorea Island, French Polynesia. I have never been so happy to be leavingparadise. But I do think for $600+ a night we could have expected more than bread and water. So happy you survived! This is the tourist high season. Tsunami waves were observed in Tonga's capital and the capital of American Samoa, a U.S.-based tsunami monitor said, following the eruption at 0410 GMT of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai underwater volcano. Staying 17ish hours in a small room full of people (even if the heat is bad) is bearable in these conditions, have you every been stuck for an entire month in an apartment with no A/C ? 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