samoa tsunami -
disaster relief
National Disaster
- Samoan Earthquake
- 8.0 Magnitude
- Devastates Samoa 29/9/09 6.48am local time
- Deadly Tsunami strikes islands at 07:00am
Official Death Toll as 23/10/09
143 - Samoa; 5 remain missing
9 - Tonga
Homeless
4500 - Samoa
425 - Tonga
In the morning of 29 September 2009, a powerful earthquake struck south
of the main Samoan Island chain with its epicentre 190 kilometres south
of the Samoan capital of Apia. Few minutes later, as warned by the
Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, a series of quake-triggered tsunami
waves hit American Samoa, Samoa and the small northern island of
Niuatoputapu in Tonga. The tsunami waves, some of which are said to have
been as high as 6 metres, caused fatalities, casualties and serious
damage to the Pacific Island countries.
fth updates
FTH will work through Rhema South Pacific which has a bible college based in Apia on the other side of the island struck hardest by the Tsunami.
Staff members from the college are distributing water, clothes and other relief supplies as they assist response teams to search for survivors and bury casualties.
They have also prepared their dormitory facility to temporarily house the homeless.
fth photo gallery
Relief partners, Rhema South Pacific have sent photos of relief efforts underway.
- 5/11/09 Click here for photos of sharing food packs
- 28/10/09 Click here for photos of sharing food packs
- 28/10/09 Click here for Preparation photos
- 4/10/09 Click here for Distribution photos
- 4/10/09 Click here for photos of the Devastation
u.n. situation reports
23/10/09
The situation is gradually shifting from emergency phase to early recovery. In the meantime, access to sufficient water for the displaced population is identified as a problem by the water sector. Sanitation also remains a concern and building of pit latrines is ongoing as a priority short-term intervention.
Click here for more Situation Reports.
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29/9/09
Western Samoa has declared a State of Disaster and requested assistance from foreign missions and the United Nations. 62 people are now confirmed dead and 142 confirmed injured. However, the Samoan NDMO believes that up to 100 people may have been killed with many more injured and displaced. Widespread damage to
houses and infrastructure has occurred. However, UNDP Samoa reports that major roads on Upolu Island are not too damaged.In many instances, relatives from Apia are driving to affected areas to collect injured family members and bring them to Apia hospital. It is also reported that many families are providing shelter to relatives who may have had their homes damaged or destroyed.
Eye witness reports suggest that looters have entered some resorts but there are no reports of widespread looting at this point.
The worst affected areas are reported to be the South and South Eastern coast of the island of Upolu. Damage to family homes, community buildings, resorts, roads, power lines and water supply close to coastal areas has been widely reported. Oxfam NZ reports that the Poutasi hospital has been destroyed and that water supply and electricity are down in many of the affected areas. Some villages on Upolu, Monono and Savaii islands are still reported to be under water. Communications by email and telephone remain difficult.
Key needs identified at this point are water, food, shelter supplies and psychosocial support.
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Click here for more Situation Reports.
secular media reports
Click here for the latest secular media reports on the ongoing situation in Myanmar.
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