Major 7.9 Earthquake In Pacific Ocean Near American Samoa Creates Tsunami
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake has occurred under the Pacific Ocean about 125 miles southwest of American Samoa.
The U.S. Geological Service says the earthquake occurred at a depth of about 21.7 miles into the earth's crust. The earthquake happened at 1:48 ET.
There haven't been any reports of a tsunami though that is a concern at this point.
We'll keep you posted.
UPDATE: 2:46 PM -- Just received a report that there is a tsunami sweeping across part of the South Pacific.
NPR's Richard Harris has this report for the network's newscast:
... An emergency worker in the capital city of Pago Pago told NPR that a wave 10 to 15 feet tall swept through the harbor there a few minutes later.
The emergency management office says there do not appear to be any casualties as a result of the wave, at least in the city of Pago Pago.
School children were sent to high ground as a precaution. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says instruments also detected a tsunami wave.
Scientists are now calculating how big it will be. The wave is likely to spread throughout the South Pacific and reach New Zealand. If it were to get as far as Hawaii, it would arrive in about four hours from now. It is not expected to reach the coast of North America.
UPDATE: 3:33 PM: --
This from an e-mail from NPR's newsdesk:
Tautala Mauala, secretary general of the American Samoa Red Cross says the National Disaster Plan has been put into action, evacuations are being conducted from low-lying areas; villages are ringing warning bells.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press is reporting the following:
PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (AP) - A tsunami swept into Pago Pago (Pan-go, pan-go) in American Samoa shortly after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.9 shook the Pacific area.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage.
Fili Sagapolutele, who works at the Samoa News, says water flowed inland about 100 yards before receding, leaving cars stuck in mud.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu 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 temblor hit at 6:48 a.m. Tuesday (1748 GMT) midway between Samoa and American Samoa. In the Samoan capital, Apia, families fled their homes for higher ground amid severe shaking that lasted for up to three minutes.
UPDATED 3:49 PM -- According to an e-mail from NPR's newsdesk:
William Tuivaga of the Cook Islands Emergency Management Relief says they receive alert from Pacific Tsunami Center in Hawaii -- estimated time for possible wave has passed without incident; alert remains in effect.
UPDATED 4:10 PM -- Another NPR newsdesk update. Joe Neel, a science editor
... is monitoring Radio New Zealand; alert for one meter tsunami at appx 4:20-4:25 pm ET. One meter is about 3.3 feet. Since the wave is expected to arrive at low tide, the tsunami's effect in New Zealand should be negligible.
(Two-Way note: I have started a new posting on this earthquake to update what we know.)