Tsunami hits Somoan Islands

**efq** · 29-09-2009, 09:55 PM

Breaking News

10:50pm UK, Tuesday September 29, 2009

A tsunami has hit the Samoan islands - killing at least 14 people, according to reports.

Earthquake epicentre was southwest of American Samoa

It was sparked by a powerful earthquake about 100 miles away in the Pacific Ocean.
The quake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, caused waves measuring around 1.5-metres tall to strike Western Samoa and American Samoa.
Five tsunami waves hit American Samoa and 14 people were killed there, local reports said.
Villages in Western Samoa are thought to have been "wiped out" and people have been reported missing, a journalist for Radio Polynesia told Radio New Zealand.
A police spokeswoman in Western Samoa said the tsunami had killed an unknown number of people on the island.
She said: "I can confirm there is damage, I can confirm there are deaths and I can confirm there are casualties. I cannot say any more at the moment."
In New Zealand, authorities ordered people in low-lying coastal homes and camp sites to evacuate.
In Western Samoa, New Zealander Graeme Ansell said the beach village of Sau Sau Beach Fale had been levelled, while in the capital, Apia, families fled their homes for higher ground.
There were reports of severe shaking that lasted for up to three minutes.
Power cuts have been reported and students have apparently been seen ransacking a petrol station and a convenience store.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Honolulu, Hawaii, issued a tsunami warning for American Samoa and other areas of the Pacific, including New Zealand.
A tsunami watch was posted elsewhere, including Hawaii and the Marshall Islands.
The epicentre of the quake was 120 miles southwest of American Samoa and at a depth of 11.2 miles, said the US Geological Survey.
The quake happened at 6:48am (local time).

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wor..._Richter_Scale

**FlyingJesus** · 29-09-2009, 10:36 PM

My sister lives in New Zealand, they're on tsunami watch waiting to hear if they have to evacuate

ihatehash · 29-09-2009, 10:37 PM

at 9.22AM i was sitting at home listening to the radio wetting my pants(not really). I live in a small peninsula in New Zealand. at about 9.24AM (9.24PM Uk Time) a loud alarm went off signalling every one to get to higher ground. there was traffic jams in a town that usually only has 300 occupants. once we found a safe place with about 50 other cars we sat up there listening to the radio for about 1 and a 1/2 hours until we were given the all clear. luckily it was low tide so the waves only went up to 1 metre.

btw the death toll is now about 21

**GommeInc** · 29-09-2009, 10:58 PM

"Power cuts have been reported and students have apparently been seen ransacking a petrol station and a convenience store."

I don't know why that made me laugh

I suppose it could of been worse :/