Tsunami travel times. Credit NOAA
By Rich Bowden
A regional emergency response to yesterday’s tsunami has swung into place as the death toll rises to 140, with many still missing.
Whole villages and popular tourist resorts were destroyed in the devastating tsunami following an 8.3 magnitude earthquake which struck just off the island nation of Samoa, affecting the countries of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga. Information from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the quake struck at a depth of 33km (20 miles), some 190km (120 miles) from Apia, reported the BBC.
U.S. federal emergency funds have now been released for the U.S. territory of American Samoa after President Barack Obama declared an “swift and aggressive” response as he declared an emergency. Both Australia and New Zealand have advised their rescue missions are now underway.
Yesterday Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance Bob McMullan advised that his government had been in constant contact with the Samoan Government to support the administration and assess needs as they arise.
He confirmed the Australian Government had received a request for assistance from Samoa and described the type of assistance Australia would be providing.
“We have two RAAF Hercules on standby at Richmond ready to deliver assistance and we are finalising the details within the Australian Government and in consultation with New Zealand and France,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“But I expect that it will be of the character of medical, search and rescue teams and medical teams to provide backup and things like tents to provide shelter, temporary shelter, for people who have lost their homes and water purification equipment,” he continued.
Meanwhile the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has announced he will visit Samoa to assess the damage caused by the tsunami and help coordinate aid with the Samoan Government. Mr Key, who had been holidaying in the United States, has said he will delay his arrival so as not to interfere with important search and rescue missions.
Acting NZ Prime Minister Bill English told reporters today an airforce Hercules had landed in the Samoan capital Apia this morning to join an Orion aircraft already operating. Mr English said New Zealand would coordinate operations with Australia and the navy is sending amulti-purpose ship, the Canterbury, to carry more equipment.
“In other similar events people have been found a day or two afterwards and rescued so we wanted to make sure the Orion does as much as possible in respect of the search,” Radio New Zealand reported.
“The kinds of things will be the heavier gear that you can’t put in a Hercules, water purification plants of some scale, generators of some scale, building materials. If they have a significant amount of people with no shelter they can only be in tents for a certain amount of time,” Mr English said.
For further information the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has set up a hotline at 1300 555 135 inside Australia; +61 2 6261 3305 for international callers.
Please also contact the Red Cross appeal at 1800 811 700 for donations.
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