Tsunami hits Samoan Islands

The 8.3 magnitude quake struck about 125 miles from Samoa, a South Pacific island nation of 180,000 people located almost halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii. The quake's epicentre was even closer to neighbouring American Samoa, a US territory of about 65,000 people. Four 15 to 20ft-high tsunami waves hit the island, reaching up to a mile inland.

Cars and people were swept out to sea by the fast-churning waters, as survivors fled to higher ground. Signs of devastation were everywhere, with a large boat washed onto the edge of a road and floodwaters swallowing up vehicles and homes. Hampered by power and communications outages, officials are still struggling to determine damage and casualties. Samoan police commissioner Lilo Maiava said 63 deaths had been confirmed. But he added that officials were still searching the devastated areas, so the number of deaths might rise soon. Hundreds of injured were being treated by health workers, Mr Maiava added. At least 19 people were killed on American Samoa, officials there said.
Governor Togiola Tulafono, who was in Honolulu for a conference, told reporters more victims may be found when rescuers reach areas that are inaccessible by roads.
There were unconfirmed reports of at least five more people dead in the island nation of Tonga, west of the Samoan islands.
An Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004, which killed about 230,000 people across 11 countries, is the worst on record.
See the full story and video clips as well as further information and simulations on tsunamis on the BBC News website here.