Posted in New Zealand

Tsunami on way to NZ after Samoa quake

'Everything is gone... Nothing is left'

By MICHAEL FIELD - Stuff.co.nz

Tsunami Arrival Times

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A massive 8.3 earthquake and tsunami in American Samoa has resulted in a number of deaths, it has been reported.

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The US National Park Service said there had been some deaths but did not have an official figure.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii updated its warning to say a tsunami was generated.

Reports from Samoa say two villages were hit this morning while CNN has said a three-metre tsunami had been generated.

A spokeswoman for Samoa Police told Stuff a short time ago that villages on the country’s southern coast had been hit by a tsunami.

"We cannot say much more, we’re extremely busy, but, yes, we have been hit," she said.

Polynesia Radio in Apia told Stuff that they were receiving reports from Siumu and Lotofaga that a tsunami had come ashore.

Both are on the south side of Upolu island, exposed to the area where the earthquake hit this morning.

The Center says the tsunami "may have been destruction along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts."

The quake struck at 6.48am midway between the two island groups. In Apia, families reported shaking that lasted for up to three minutes. The US Geological Service said the quake struck 35 kilometres below the ocean floor, 190 kilometres from American Samoa and 200 kilometres from Samoa.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a general alert for the South Pacific region, from American Samoa to New Zealand. It said there were indications a tsunami wave could be "destructive" along some coastlines.

New Zealander Graeme Ansell said the beach village of Sau Sau Beach Fale was leveled.

"It was very quick. The whole village has been wiped out," Ansell told National Radio from a hill near Samoa's capital, Apia. "There's not a building standing. We've all clambered up hills, and one of our party has a broken leg. There will be people in a great lot of need 'round here."

A tsunami swept into Pago Pago, capital of American Samoa, shortly after the earthquake, sending sea water surging inland about 100 yards (meters) before receding, leaving some cars stuck in mud.

The staff of the port ran to higher ground, and police soon came by, telling residents to get inland.

In Fagatogo, water reached the waterfront town's meeting field and covered portions of the main highway, which also was plagued by rock slides.

In Samoa, the powerful quake jolted people awake.

"It was pretty strong; it was long and lasted at least two minutes," one resident told local radio.

"It's the strongest I have felt, and we ran outside. You could see all the trees and houses were shaking," he said.

Sulili Dusi told New Zealand's National Radio that "everything dropped on the floor and we thought the house was going to go down as well. Thank God, it didn't." Along with neighbours, they fled to high ground.

She said the tsunami hit the south side of the island, and some "cars have been taken." She did not elaborate, but added "we just thank God no life has been taken yet."

Another resident, Dean Phillips, said the southern coast of Upolu island had been struck by the tsunami.

"The police are sending everybody up to high ground," he said.

Local media said they had reports of some landslides in the Solosolo region of the main Samoan island of Upolu and damage to plantations in the countryside outside Apia.

Radio Polynesia said the quake lasted for up to a minute and within minutes after tsunami sirens had been sounded and tsunami phone text warnings were issued.

"Lots of people are heading for the high ground now," a station staffer said.

In the northern Tongan island of Vavau the earthquake has also been severely felt.

"People are expecting a tsunami," a woman who answered a phone at a resort said.

"There have been waves."

'EVERYTHING IS GONE'

The owner of Iliili Beach resort, Daniela Brussani, said her resort had been wiped out, with only the floor remaining.

Brussani said the earthquake was "very long and very strong."

She said she understood that three people were missing from Saleilua, the village where the resort is situated.

As she was speaking to Stuff.co.nz she saw a policeman carrying a baby, which she feared was dead.

She said after the earthquake hit she went to the verandah at the resort and the sea had disappeared. "No water, just coral. The water go back. Very fast we understand it is a tsunami."

She said she jumped in the car and drove away from the coast and waited. She said two very big waves were seen.

"When we go back we see all my resort is gone."

Matthew from Iliili Resort said:

"Everything is broken. Everything is gone. The building, the restaurant ... nothing left.

"There are three people missing from the village."

 An Apia resident who had been evacuated this morning told Radio New Zealand: "We were told how to do this when the time comes like now and were ready."

She said they were still feeling small aftershocks.

"We just thank God that no life has been taken yet."

TSUNAMI HEADING FOR NZ

The Hawaii center's updated timings for the arrival of a tsunami in New Zealand are:

East Cape at 9.44am

Gisborne 10am

North Cape 10.12 am

Napier 10.40 am

Wellington 10.50 am

Auckland (east coast) 11.12 am

Auckland (west) 11.39 am

Lyttelton 11.55am

New Plymouth 12.17pm

Nelson  12.23 pm

Dunedin 12.31 pm

The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management said there was a tsunami risk to New Zealand from the earthquake.

The ministry has issued a tsunami warning for New Zealand coasts.

Ministry director John Hamilton said that the ministry had alerted the country's regional Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups, police, fire service, Ministry of Health, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and other government agencies.

The ministry has activated the National Crisis Management Centre and was co-ordinating central government response.

The CDEM sector was activating its emergency plans.

Regional CDEM groups were working urgently with local authorities, local emergency services and local media to warn and if necessary evacuate coastal areas at risk.

Detailed evacuation advice would come from local authorities and local emergency services.

If told to evacuate people should, where possible, take a radio and cell phone with them, along with essential items such as glasses, hearing aid and medicines.

GNS Science is convening the tsunami expert panel and all available New Zealand and international data about the earthquake and sea levels are being monitored and analysed.

In 2004, a quake in the Indian Ocean generated a powerful tsunami that killed tens of thousands people in Asia.