Samoan Tsunami

[Dleg]

Not many details on this yet, but a huge earthquake (8.3) hit right between American Samoa and Samoa this morning, and sent tsunami waves on shore that have killed an unspecified number of people.

I know several people in American Samoa, and have not been able to get in contact with them. I went there once in 2000, and as I recall, most people live along the shoreline. I was seriously considering taking a job there earlier this summer. There are about 60,000 people living there.

This quote from an article on msnbc doesn't sound good:

... Holly Bundock, spokeswoman for the National Park Service's Pacific West Region in Oakland, Calif., said "I would say we're alarmed," adding the service had heard from Mike Reynolds, superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa.
Reynolds told a dispatch operator that four tsunami waves, each 15 to 20 feet high, reached half-mile to mile inland on island of Tutuila, where Pago Pago is.

"The National Park of American Samoa visitor center and its offices appear to be destroyed completely," Bundock said.

Reynolds reported deaths but had no confirmation of numbers, she said. "He's completely cut off from the rest of the island," Bundock said.

 

[cement]

that's a huge earthquake! A half mile inland? That is going to be bad.

 

[Dleg]

 

[DVINNY]

just saw this on the news.... bad stuff.

 

[Ble_PE]

I read about this last night. Definitely scary stuff. Hope you get in touch with your friends soon Dleg!

 

[FLBuff PE]

I heard (possible hearsay) that the Cali coast is on alert. Stay high and dry, Dleg!

 

[Sschell]

since Dleg is a day ahead, and he posted this yesterday.... this should be happening any minute now... Quick do something!!!!

Sorry, I shouldn't joke around about something so serious, I hope your friends are OK Dleg.

 

[cement]

Dleg is protected by the Marianas trench, which soaks up the energy of these sea waves from what I understand.

 

[csb]

Dleg is protected by the Marianas trench, which soaks up the energy of these sea waves from what I understand.

Not anymore...now that it's a national monument it's classified as a government worker, so it does only 20% of the work it did when it was a private entity.

In all seriousness, that's some scary stuff and I hope everyone you know is okay. Doesn't seem like on some of those islands that there are a lot of places to run to when something like this happens.

 

[Dleg]

"They" always say that the Mariana Islands can't get nailed by a tsunami because of our small size and the vast, deep ocean around us. But American Samoa isn't any bigger than we are.... I think the problem that happened there was that the earthquake was "local", so it was going to nail them no matter what.

I haven't heard anything yet from the folks I know there. My wife is the one trying to contact them, but we also have contacts through EPA - they sent their emergency response person today.

 

[TouchDown]

They were saying on the local news last night that there were "hundreds" dead, but no confirmation on loss of life numbers. For a country of 60k and a lot of people on the shoreline, this can't end well for a lot of people and families impacted. Hope they get help, disease and infection can set in for the survivors. Very sad. Hope you hear from your friends soon Dleg.

 

[Guest]

I heard preliminary reports and quite frankly there isn't more 'press' from such a strong seismic event that has triggered a tsunami. I hope your friends are okay Dleg .... any reports to the tsunami surge? Is there a decent warning system in place in Samoa?

JR

 

[Dleg]

^The reports said they received a warning, but it was about 3 minutes before the waves hit. A lot of people heard the warnings and were making their way to high ground when it hit, so you might call it a moderate success. The bottom lime was that there simply was not much time - the earthquake was so close that the waves were right behind it. I heard talk on the radio today that a possible new procedure will be to head for high ground anytime you feel a strong earthquake in a tusnami area. Don't wait for a warning, in other words.

No word from our friends yet, but communications are down, so I am not alarmed yet. The ASEPA office is pretty close to the shore, though, so chances are it was hit.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I heard talk on the radio today that a possible new procedure will be to head for high ground anytime you feel a strong earthquake in a tusnami area. Don't wait for a warning, in other words.

Kinda surprised this isn't already the practice.