Samoa Quake & Tsunami: Death Toll, Foreigners, Survivors

by Yuliya Talmazan | September 30, 2009 at 09:07 am

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A massive 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck yesterday off Samoa and American Samoa in the Pacific Ocean, generating tsunami waves that led to life loss and property damage. Very scant information followed yesterday about the number of people affected. Today, preliminary death toll numbers are stating to emerge. Estimates vary, but over 100 people are feared dead. Hundreds are injured, thousands have lost their homes. A lot of tourist infrastructure was destroyed.

In Samoa, Maiava said police have so far confirmed 63 deaths. And in American Samoa, Gov. Togiola Tulafono said at least 30 people were killed Tuesday.

Among the foreigners known to have died in Samoa so far are:

--a six-year-old Australian girl
--Maree Blacker, a 50-year-old woman from Tasmania
--Vivien Hodgins-May, 55 (Australia)
--2½-year-old toddler -- the New Zealand resident
--two-year-old UK child presumed dead, missing
--two South Koreans are dead, child missing

German citizens are among those injured.

Meanwhile, tsunami survivors are recounting stories of horror as they watched the sea recede to come down on the coastal villages later. Some say, entire villages were taken into the sea. The earthquake that caused the tsunami was followed by three after-shakes of lesser magnitude.