South Pacific, September 30: A massive earthquake struck the South Pacific on Wednesday morning, according to officials, generating a possibly destructive tsunami. Tsunami warnings are in effect, but there was no immediate word on the casualties, which are expected to be high.
The earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 8.3, struck 127 miles south-southwest of Apia, Samoa and about 139 miles southwest of Pago Pago on American island of Samoa. The tremor, had a depth of about 30 miles, which struck at 6.45 a.m. local time. Since, it struck at just 30 miles, it is a shallow earthquake and they often tend to cause more damage, and increase the risk of a highly destructive earthquake.
According to unconfirmed sources, the tsunami flattened villages and wiped out entire settlements. Lots of people are reported to be missing.
Tsunami warnings were immediately issued for American Samoa, Samoa, Niue, Wallis-Futuna, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Kermadec Islands, Fiji, Howland-Baker, Jarvis Island, New Zealand, French Polynesia and Palmyra Island.
A tsunami watch is also in effect for Vanuatu, Nauru, Marshall Island, Solomon Islands, Johnston Island, New Caledonia, Kosrae, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Pohnpei, Wake Island, Pitcairn, Midway Island.
A spokeswoman for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center told BNO News that a 10 foot (3 meter) tsunami had hit the harbor of Pago Pago on American Samoa, but said she had no information about possible casualties.
In a repeat telecast, a moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 struck exactly 30 minutes after the initial quake, at 7.15 a.m. local time.
–IANS–