President Obama promised today a “swift and aggressive” U.S. response to the tsunami that hit American Samoa and neighboring islands claiming at least 113 lives after an 8.3 magnitude deep sea quake struck yesterday. “I am closely monitoring these tragic events, and have declared a major disaster for American Samoa, which will provide the tools necessary for a full, swift and aggressive response,” the President said in a statement.
The declaration of a major disaster, initially called for by American Samoa Governor Togiola Tulafono, will allow the US to allocate funds for temporary housing, clean-up, repairs, unemployment aid and temporary loans. Island residents said they were shaken by a huge jolt, which was followed by tremors that lasted for several minutes. Then the tsunamis struck.
Damage reports have been difficult to get, with telecommunications and power supplies downed or overloaded on the islands. But officials fear entire villages have been washed away and that many bodies may be buried in the sand. The lucky ones managed to reach higher ground before their homes were swallowed up. Treating the injured and housing the displaced will be enormous challenges and the true scale of the disaster could take weeks to emerge.
Samoa is known as the location of the current series of CBS’s hit reality series “Survivor: Samoa.” It will also be the location of the next series of “Survivor,” which is currently filming there. Reports indicate that all show personnel are safe.
The islands of Samoa are located about 2500 miles between the Hawaiian Islands and Australia.