Kate Garraway Shares Terrifying Update as Friends Trapped in Car During Hawaii Tsunami Chaos

Kate Garraway has opened up about a real-life nightmare unfolding for her friends currently caught up in the chaos in Hawaii, after a massive earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific. What was meant to be a dream holiday has taken a terrifying turn, as coastal areas brace for potential disaster.

During Good Morning Britain, Kate and co-host Ed Balls were covering the breaking news of an 8.7-magnitude earthquake that struck with such force it caused parts of Russia and Japan to flood. With two million people in Japan ordered to evacuate and the shockwaves reaching as far as the US east coast and Hawaii, concern is mounting worldwide. Experts say this is the strongest earthquake the planet has seen in 14 years, reported the Mirror.

While discussing the story with Andrew Pearce and Kevin Maguire, Kate shared a deeply personal connection to the unfolding events. As Andrew commented on how many Brits holidaying in Hawaii must now feel completely helpless, Kate revealed her friends are among them.

She said: “My friends are one of those actually – they’ve been moved inside but because they haven’t got an instant place to go, they’re actually hunkered down as high as they can in their car right now. And they won’t be alone right now, I imagine, all over the area that’s affected.”

That one comment brought home the frightening reality of the situation for many viewers watching from the comfort of their homes. It’s one thing seeing these warnings on a screen, but knowing someone stuck in the middle of it all makes it feel a lot more real.

Airlines have wasted no time reacting. Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines released a joint statement confirming they’re temporarily grounding flights to the islands. “We are monitoring a tsunami warning for the Hawaiian Islands and portions of the state of Alaska and assessing our flight operations,” it said.

They added that flights already en route were either returning to the mainland or diverting where possible, and passengers should check updates before heading to the airport. A waiver is in place for travellers needing to rearrange their plans, with more details on the Alaska Airlines website.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green also issued a strong warning, emphasising that the tsunami waves could measure up to six feet and carry dangerous force. “It can dislodge trees, that’s why you can’t just be out there,” he said. “The impact is at great speed. Any structure that gets loose and strikes the individual could take them out. And people can drown quite easily with the force of that kind of wave.”

Emergency crews are on standby with Black Hawk helicopters and high-water vehicles, but the governor urged people to avoid unnecessary risks. “But please do not put yourself in harm’s way,” he added.

For Kate’s friends and countless others facing the fear of what could come next, it’s a waiting game in the most uncertain and unsettling of circumstances. What started as a paradise getaway has now turned into a desperate effort to stay safe.