American Samoa : Powerful earth quake and tsunami

American Samoa : Powerful earth quake and tsunami

American Samoa and Samoa were hit by a powerful earth quake and tsunami which must have left at least 30 people dead and many missing. An Earthquake / quake, with a magnitude between 8.3, struck around dawn about 20 miles (32 kilometers) below to ocean floor, 120 miles (190 kilometers) from American Samoa, a US territory. American Samoa is home to 65,000 people located 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Samoa.

Horrible accounts are already emerging from survivors with near death experience. Cars and people were swept out to sea by waters as survivors fled to high ground, where they remained huddled hours later. There are reports of people being washed out to sea and whole villages being destroyed by up to five deadly waves, said to have been anything from 4m to 8m high.

The National Park of American Samoa, was hit by four tsunami waves 15 to 20 feet (4 1/2 to 6 meters) reaching up to a mile (1.6 kilometer) inland. The park’s visitor center and offices appeared to have been destroyed. The National Park of American Samoa is the only national park south of the equator and gives a scenic expanse of reefs, picturesque beaches, tropical forests and wildlife that include sea turtles and flying foxes.