All About Tsunami News in Samoa
(excerpt from Yahoo! News)
Up to 20 die after quake triggers Tsunami in Samoa
A powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake generated Pacific tsunami on Wednesday, killing an unknown number …
LALOMANU, Samoa – A Samoan reporter says tsunami victims "are everywhere" in a hospital near a hard-hit area and the dead could number up to 20. Associated Press reporter Keni Lesa said three or four villages on the popular tourist coast near the southern town of Lalomanu on Samoa's main island of Upolu had been "wiped out" by waves that roared ashore early Wednesday.
Lesa said he had visited the town's main hospital where "there are bodies everywhere," including at least one child.
The Samoan government has not yet confirmed fatalities. Officials in neighboring American Samoa say at least 14 people have been killed there.
(excerpt from BBC News)
Deadly tsunami in Pacific islands
A tsunami triggered by a strong quake in the South Pacific has killed at least 28 people in Samoa, say reports. Samoa's delegate to the US Congress, Eni Faleomavaega, told AFP thousands of people had been left homeless.
Dr Lemalu Fiu, at a hospital in the Samoan capital, Apia, said the number of casualties was expected to rise as people arrived from coastal areas.
An 8.3-magnitude quake struck at 1748 GMT, generating 15ft (4.5m) waves in some areas of Samoa and American Samoa.
The Samoa islands comprise two separate entities - the nation of Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory - with a total population of about 250,000 people.
A tsunami warning was issued, but it has now been cancelled.
"Some of the areas there are only a few feet above sea level, so you can imagine the devastation," said Mr Faleomavaega.
"It caused severe damage to property, there are cars floating everywhere."
The Red Cross said at least 28 people had been killed in the region, reported AFP - 14 each in Samoa and American Samoa.
Talutala Mauala, Secretary General of the Red Cross in Samoa, said she was travelling to the country's south coast, where injuries had also been reported.
"We won't know the full extent of the damage until we get there and see for ourselves," she said.
Ms Mauala said it could take many months for people to rebuild their homes.
An Associated Press reporter said he had seen "bodies everywhere" in the main hospital in Lalomanu, on Samoa's main island of Upolu, including at least one child.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency has reported that three South Koreans were among the dead and one is still missing.
Beaches gone
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the quake struck at a depth of 33km (20 miles) some 190km from Apia. Waves of 5.1ft (1.57m) waves hit Apia and Pago Pago, American Samoa.
Radio New Zealand quoted Samoan residents as saying that villages were inundated and homes and cars swept away.
"I can confirm there is damage, I can confirm there are deaths and I can confirm there are casualties," a Western Samoa police spokeswoman told Reuters.
"I cannot say any more at the moment."
Samoalive News said local radio stations had been receiving reported of high sea swells hitting coastal areas on the eastern and southern side of Upolu island
"School has been called off for the day with tsunami warnings calling for people to head to higher grounds," the website said.
Witnesses have reported scenes of destruction.
"It's horrible... The village is gone and my once beautiful beach front villa has now being submerged in water," Josh Nayangu told the BBC after fleeing the area on a small fishing boat with his wife and son.
Ula Osasa-Mano, who was visiting family on the island, told the BBC the water along the Apia seawall was turbulent.
"The water was kind of swirling like a spa pool outwards [towards] the rim of the lagoon and in a few seconds the water sunk," Ula Osasa-Mano said.
(excerpt from Reuters)
Tsunami kills 14 in American Samoa: local radio
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Five tsunami waves killed 14 people in American Samoa on Wednesday, a local radio announcer said by telephone from the South Pacific island.
"As of right now, everybody is up in the high mountain ranges," said Senetenari Malele, announcer for local radio station Showers of Blessings. He said the local weather authority had released a statement with 14 dead in the last hour.
(Reporting by Peter Henderson in Los Angeles)
(excerpt from The Huffington Post)
UPDATE 7:40 p.m. EST:LALOMANU, Samoa (AP)- A Samoan reporter says tsunami victims "are everywhere" in a hospital near a hard-hit area and the dead could number up to 20. Associated Press reporter Keni Lesa said three or four villages on the popular tourist coast near the southern town of Lalomanu on Samoa's main island of Upolu had been "wiped out" by waves that roared ashore early Wednesday.
Lesa said he had visited the town's main hospital where "there are bodies everywhere," including at least one child.
The Samoan government has not yet confirmed fatalities. Officials in neighboring American Samoa say at least 14 people have been killed there.
(excerpt from MSNBC)
Samoa islands tsunami kills at least 82
8.0-magnitude earthquake triggers village-flattening waves in South Pacific
PAGO PAGO, American Samoa - A powerful Pacific Ocean earthquake spawned towering tsunami waves that swept ashore on Samoa and American Samoa early Tuesday, flattening villages, killing at least 82 people and leaving dozens of workers missing at devastated National Park Service facilities.
Cars and people were swept out to sea by the fast-churning water as survivors fled to high ground, where they remained huddled hours later. Signs of devastation were everywhere, with a giant boat getting washed ashore and coming to rest on the edge of a highway and floodwaters swallowing up cars and homes.
Samoan police commissioner Lilo Maiava told The Associated Press that police had confirmed 63 deaths, and officials were still searching the devastated areas, so the number of deaths was likely to rise soon.
.....
