CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte family vacationing in Hawaii is seeking higher ground following a tsunami warning triggered by a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia's Far East.

Chris Fabiano and his family were at a beach on Oahu's north shore when emergency alerts sounded on their phones around 4 p.m. local time, warning of tsunami waves expected to reach Hawaiian shores by 7 p.m.

"We were literally at the beach, and then we all got the iPhone alarms," Fabiano said during an interview with WCNC Charlotte. "We just got in the car. We just decided to go back to our hotel and get up to some safe high ground."

The family was attempting to return to their hotel, where they planned to shelter on the 11th floor. However, their journey was slowed significantly by congested roadways as res

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