Wednesday evening in Waikiki ended in classic Hawaiian style, with a stunning red, orange and gold sunset, children laughing and splashing in waves lapping the shore – and parents sipping cocktails from plastic cups.

One of the largest earthquakes ever recorded happened off the Russian coast, triggering tsunami warnings from the U.S. west coast to South America. In Hawaii, people clamored to the top of high-rises and a traffic rush headed away from the coast.