Thursday, October 15, 2009

tsunami strikes Samoa

APIA, Samoa » A powerful Pacific Ocean earthquake spawned towering tsunami waves that swept ashore on Samoa and American Samoa, flooding and flattening villages, killing at least 82 people and leaving dozens missing.

Cars and people were swept out to sea by the fast-churning water as survivors fled to higher ground, where they remained huddled hours after the quake struck early yesterday.

Signs of devastation were everywhere, with a giant boat washed ashore lying on the edge of a highway and floodwaters swallowing up cars and homes.

Rescue workers found a scene of destruction and debris with cars overturned or stuck in mud, and rockslides hit some roads.

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