About 2009 Samoan Islands Earthquake
A 8.0 Earthquake has shaken the Samoan Islands underwater at about 125 miles south of Apia, Samoa, according to the United States Geologic Survey at 6.48 am local time (17:48:11 UTC). Few reports say the magnitude of the quake is 8.3. The quake is reported to be epicentered between the Islands of Samoa and the American Samoa.
Location of the Earthquake
According to the USGS, the quake is centered as follows: 185 km (115 miles) ENE of Hihifo, Tonga; 195 km (125 miles) S of APIA, Samoa; 705 km (435 miles) NNE of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga; 2700 km (1670 miles) NNE of Auckland, New Zealand
The Samoan Islands Earthquake & Tsunmai
The earthquake is first reported to be at 7.9 magnitude. Two hours later the magnitude is upgraded to 8.0. This high intensity earthquake has rose the water to about 5.1 feet above normal sea level and has engulfed the American Samoa capital city Pago Pago. Pago Pago is a harbor town.
National Park of American Samoa Superintendent Mike Reynolds said that four tsunami waves as high as six meters are felt.
Communication systems are damaged making it difficult to reach people in the region over telephones difficult.
Update at 4:45 PM HST: The American Samoa's Governor's office at Dillingham Boulevard office is receiving hundreds of calls by people who want to know about their loved ones. Gov. Togiola Tulafono was in Hawaii to attend some meetings. The Governor is expected to return back by Tuesday night on a military airlift.
The American Samoa's delegate to the US CongressEni Faleomavaega is reported to be saying that some of the areas of are only a few feet above sea level. September 30, 2009 at 04:24:16 UTC
Deaths
Initial reports say that about 100 people have died in the incident. At least 20 confirmed deaths are reported so far. Water has flooded the entire region. Looking at the damage that happened, it is likely that over 100 deaths and over a hundred injuries would be reported from the region.
Update at Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 03:29:25: A report by Bloomberg is reporting that the deaths would be at 120 with 26 deaths already reported in Samoa and 19 in American Samoa. A large number of casualities are expected from the Talamoa village.
Australians in Samoa or American Samoa
The Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said seven Australians have been injured and that they are getting treatment at a hospital. Mr. Smith has just arrived at Singapore when he heard about the news. DFAT hotline for Australians in Samoa or American Samoa: 1300 555 135
International reaction / Relief operations
International Development Assistance Parliamentary Secretary Bob McMullan said they have not yet received any request for international assistance.
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate said a team is on its way to American Samoa to take part in assistance operations. He said Emergency provisions from the Hawaii distribution centre will be used if needed. A US Coast Guard C-130 plane with people from the Coast Guard and FEMA is on its way with aid delivery. New Zealand is sending an Orion maritime search plane to help in victims search and rescue process.
American Samoa and Samoa Tsunami Relief Fund.
A release from the American Samoa's Governor office says they are accepting relief aid and donations. Relief goods, rice, bottled water and other non-perishable food can be delivered to the the office at 1427 Dillingham Blvd. Suite 210, Above Boulevard Saimin. Funds can be transfered to American Samoa and Samoa Tsunami Relief Fund at any Bank of Hawaii branch. (September 29, 2009 4:45 PM HST)
Warnings and Alerts for various regions
Alert for US West Coast and Alaska
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center has released an advisory that a tsunami that is capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous enough to people in or very near the water is imminent or expected. The first set of waves are expected to arrive at 9:00 PM. Tuesday and continue to build till Wednesday morning.
Lifeguards at the Los Angeles County beaches said that the beach will be cleared at 8:00 PM following the advisory. Though there will not be much damage to the beaches, few areas will be reporting above the normal tides hitting the coast. (September 29, 2009 at 06:15:17 PM PDT)
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Tsunami in Samoa 2009 Tsunami warning California
New Delhi, Sept 30, 2009: Tsunami in Samoa 2009 Tsunami warning California. Several villages have been washed away in the latest tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa. Several dozen people are already dead in the earthquake and the following tsunami that befell in the area.
Meanwhile there are reports that tsunami warning has been withdrawn from California. It was reported earlier that a tsunami warning had been issued in California following 8.0 strong earthquake in Samoa islands.
Tsunami is a set of ocean waves caused by any large, abrupt disturbance of the sea-surface. If the disturbance is close to the coastline, local tsunamis can demolish coastal communities within minutes. A very large disturbance can cause local devastation AND export tsunami destruction thousands of miles away.
The word tsunami is a Japanese word, represented by two characters: tsu, meaning, "harbor", and nami meaning, "wave". Tsunamis rank high on the scale of natural disasters.
Since 1850 alone, tsunamis have been responsible for the loss of over 420,000 lives and billions of dollars of damage to coastal structures and habitats. Most of these casualties were caused by local tsunamis that occur about once per year somewhere in the world.
For example, the December 26, 2004, tsunami killed about 130,000 people close to the earthquake and about 58,000 people on distant shores. Predicting when and where the next tsunami will strike is currently impossible. Once the tsunami is generated, forecasting tsunami arrival and impact is possible through modeling and measurement technologies.
What To Do following tsunamio? - Simulations show the initial tsunami wave from the 1700 event reached the coast in 20 to 30 minutes - so time is limited. Geologic history showed waves with this event were as high as 30 feet. So you must get at least that high above sea level.
To top it off, the earthquake will also result in the coastal area subsiding as much as six feet, meaning the ground and roadways will likely be very uneven, and you are now that much lower to sea level. Since the roads will be in pieces, evacuation must be on foot. Another form of evacuation is vertical evacuation into a sturdy building of at least three stories and climb to at least the third story.
Other area earthquake faults could produce such strong violent quakes, such as the Seattle fault that produced a tsunami in Puget Sound about 1100 years ago. Yet, the most likely source for a local tsunami is the Cascadia Subduction Zone off our coast.
A Distant Source - The perimeter of the Pacific Ocean Basin, nicknamed the Ring of Fire, has a number of earthquake sources that can produce strong earthquakes of 7.0 magnitude or greater. During the 20th century, there were three 9.0 magnitude or greater quakes, the last was the 1964 Alaskan quake of 9.2 magnitude that produced a tsunami throughout the Pacific Basin. These kind of earthquakes permit a lead time of hours before their subsequent tsunami reaches the Washington coastline. Tsunamis from distant locations like Japan or Chile will take over 10 hours to get here, while from Alaska, only three to six hours.
Meanwhile there are reports that tsunami warning has been withdrawn from California. It was reported earlier that a tsunami warning had been issued in California following 8.0 strong earthquake in Samoa islands.
Tsunami is a set of ocean waves caused by any large, abrupt disturbance of the sea-surface. If the disturbance is close to the coastline, local tsunamis can demolish coastal communities within minutes. A very large disturbance can cause local devastation AND export tsunami destruction thousands of miles away.
The word tsunami is a Japanese word, represented by two characters: tsu, meaning, "harbor", and nami meaning, "wave". Tsunamis rank high on the scale of natural disasters.
Since 1850 alone, tsunamis have been responsible for the loss of over 420,000 lives and billions of dollars of damage to coastal structures and habitats. Most of these casualties were caused by local tsunamis that occur about once per year somewhere in the world.
For example, the December 26, 2004, tsunami killed about 130,000 people close to the earthquake and about 58,000 people on distant shores. Predicting when and where the next tsunami will strike is currently impossible. Once the tsunami is generated, forecasting tsunami arrival and impact is possible through modeling and measurement technologies.
What To Do following tsunamio? - Simulations show the initial tsunami wave from the 1700 event reached the coast in 20 to 30 minutes - so time is limited. Geologic history showed waves with this event were as high as 30 feet. So you must get at least that high above sea level.
To top it off, the earthquake will also result in the coastal area subsiding as much as six feet, meaning the ground and roadways will likely be very uneven, and you are now that much lower to sea level. Since the roads will be in pieces, evacuation must be on foot. Another form of evacuation is vertical evacuation into a sturdy building of at least three stories and climb to at least the third story.
Other area earthquake faults could produce such strong violent quakes, such as the Seattle fault that produced a tsunami in Puget Sound about 1100 years ago. Yet, the most likely source for a local tsunami is the Cascadia Subduction Zone off our coast.
A Distant Source - The perimeter of the Pacific Ocean Basin, nicknamed the Ring of Fire, has a number of earthquake sources that can produce strong earthquakes of 7.0 magnitude or greater. During the 20th century, there were three 9.0 magnitude or greater quakes, the last was the 1964 Alaskan quake of 9.2 magnitude that produced a tsunami throughout the Pacific Basin. These kind of earthquakes permit a lead time of hours before their subsequent tsunami reaches the Washington coastline. Tsunamis from distant locations like Japan or Chile will take over 10 hours to get here, while from Alaska, only three to six hours.
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