* PACIFIC TSUNAMI -- Villages on Samoa's Upolu "flattened" by earthquake;

[J. Worthington]

10 foot tsunami also hit Samoa: http://news.bnonews.com/upti less than a minute ago

[J. Worthington]

Anyone know how long it might take before they know if a destructive tsunami is on the move?

[NormsRevenge]

Tsunami hits American Samoa

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090929/ap_on_re_au_an/as_pacific_earthquake
AP

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa – A tsunami swept into Pago Pago (Pan-go, pan-go) in American Samoa shortly after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.9 shook the Pacific area.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage.

Fili Sagapolutele, who works at the Samoa News, says water flowed inland about 100 yards before receding, leaving cars stuck in mud.

[Jeff Head]

Seems like the great Tsunami of a few years ago took many hours to get across to India where it killed a lot of people. My guess is that islands in the path will feel and report it in advance if there is any such wave headed towards Hawaii or any other major population.

But a lot of people in the Somoan Islands today are feeling the brunt of this. Some of those villages are relatively isolated to this day.

[NormsRevenge]

File picture of a seismograph. A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.3 struck off the South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami as coastal residents fled to higher ground. (AFP/USGS/File)

[Cobra64]

Bush’s fault.

[cll]

There’s at least one Freeper from Samoa. He had a Samoa ping list. I’ll try contacting him.

[rintense]

No, Obama’s. He was supposed to turn back the seas, remember?

[mojitojoe]

Bush’s fault.

[J. Worthington]

My apologies for breaking rules, dirtboy.

[gathersnomoss]

How long will this take to hit Maui? Look at the Sheraton webcam. Sub bathers are everywhere.

[roaddog727]

Just Damn......

Beat me to it....

[dirtboy]

This report says around 1pm local time:

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/524210.html