Samoa & South Pacific region
By Rich Bowden
There have been reports of death and destruction in Samoa as a massive earthquake in the South Pacific triggered a tsunami, killing at least three and injuring 50.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said waves that were 1.57 metres tall had struck American Samoa, while 0.7 metre waves were recorded in neighbouring Samoa. Radio New Zealand quoted local reports as saying villages had been “wiped out” by the tsunami with many reported missing.
The ABC quoted Australian Nick Rees as saying he had received a call from his parents who said their hotel in Samoa had been completely wiped out.
“They’ve lost everything they have … [but] they’re alive and they’re OK, my dad has broken some ribs.” Mr Rees added that there were people reported missing from the hotel.
Describing the quake that triggered the tsunami, Australian Miyako Armitage told the ABC she heard the sound as she was working out in an Apia gym.
“I thought that the men were rattling the weights a little bit too loudly, but it turned out to be quite a big earthquake,” she said.
“So we ran out, as we stood around in the middle of the road we saw the building swaying quite a lot. That was quite scary.”
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a general alert for the South Pacific region said the BBC.
“Based on all available data, a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicentre,” the PTWC said in a statement on its website.
A tsunami warning has been issued for New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji.
More details as they become available.
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