Hawaii spared as tsunami ravages parts of Samoas
HONOLULU — The earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Samoa and American Samoa prompted officials in Hawaii to take precautions against possible devastating flooding as some residents prayed that loved ones in their homeland survived.
At the American Samoa government office in Honolulu, the telephones were ringing constantly as worried Samoans in Hawaii, Las Vegas, California, Utah and elsewhere on the mainland inquired about the tsunami's aftereffects. Some in Hawaii frantically texted and e-mailed family members back home.
Hawaii and much of the rest of the Pacific were placed under tsunami advisories for a few hours Tuesday following the earthquake. The warnings and watches were canceled by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu after the threat of a tsunami subsided.
Still, the center said sea level changes and strong currents could occur along Hawaii's coasts, posing a hazard to swimmers and boaters. As a precaution, a couple schools closed because of their proximity to the shoreline.
"We are asking for the (assistance) of all of our residents and visitors to keep out of the water and away from the beaches and river mouths," Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said. "These precautionary measures are being implemented to keep everyone safe."
The mayor added a personal note.
"My thoughts are with friends and family in Samoa," Hannemann said. "I know many of us have relatives and good friends in the affected areas, and we pray that they are safe and secure despite what must have been a very frightening time."
The American Samoa government office's handful of staff members were having the same trouble as everyone else trying to get through to their homeland. Telephone service to the island was spotty.
The governor of American Samoa, Togiola T.A. Tulafono, who was in Honolulu to discuss economic development and ocean policy, said there appeared to be "fairly major damage" to the western and southern sides of the island, but little if any on the northern side. He said several landslides had been reported, including one near the governor's mansion.
Many major roads have been heavily damaged and some were impassable, making it difficult for emergency workers to access small villages that were inundated, he said.
Tulafono said his immediate family was safe but feared that his extended family had suffered one or more fatalities.
"I don't think anybody is going to be spared in this disaster," he said.
Key facts on the U.S. territory of American Samoa:<b>American Samoa</b>• Located about 2,300 miles southwest of Hawaii and 1,600 miles northeast of New Zealand.• Largest island is Tutuila, home to 95 percent of the territory's 65,000 population.• A U.S. territory since 1900.• Used as a training and staging area for the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Controlled by the U.S. Navy until 1951.• Territory is administered by the U.S. Department of Interior. Those born in the territory are U.S. nationals, not citizens.• Local government is organized like the U.S. government, with a Senate, a House of Representatives and an elected governor. Represented in Congress by a nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.• American Samoa doesn't vote in elections for U.S. president and vice president, but residents can vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections.By The Associated Press
