Economic damage from isle tsunami spreads

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The tsunami that struck Hawaii early Friday morning caused tens of millions of dollars in damage — an estimate that's expected to climb as Gov. Neil Abercrombie warned of a drop in Japanese tourists to the islands.

"The economic impact will be profound," Abercrombie said yesterday. "It's going to be terrible. It's going to be rough."

Abercrombie plans to fly to some of the hardest-hit areas of the neighbor islands after daybreak this morning to see first-hand the damage to businesses and hotels along Kailua-Kona's Alii Drive and to harbors on Maui, said Lt. Col. Chuck Anthony, spokesman for the Hawaii National Guard, which will transport the governor.

As Japanese visitors cancel trips to Hawaii, Abercrombie said, he plans to ask the state Council on Revenues to reconvene to adjust economic projections to give the Legislature and state officials a better idea of what to expect from the drop in needed tourism dollars.

"It's almost a certainty the numbers will change," Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie also plans to meet with the heads of state departments to have frank discussions about where more money can be saved to help close Hawaii's budget deficit — projected at $964 million before the tsunami hit.


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