EARTHQUAKE AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUED TO BE FELT IN SAMOA
A Tsunami Watch was issued by the Samoa met office.
Photo: Eyespy radio / Anetone Sagaga
Just an hour ago another tremor was felt in Samoa
with a magnitude of 4.0. The Samoa Meteorology Office in their update
stated the distance was 198km in theSouth West of Apia and that no
tsunami threat will be in effect.
Samoa has felt a total of 4 earthquakes in under 72 Hours , three of
those were aftershocks and the major tremor that was felt this morning
at a frightening Magnitude of 6.40. The Samoa Meteorology Office has
advised the public on all Social Media platforms to stay alert and
away from shores as they continue to send updates.
An earth tremor sent chills down the spines of many Samoans when a
quake broke out in the early hours of Monday morning. Over the weekend
microseism or also known as small quakes were felt on Saturday with a
Magnitude of 4.6. A much smaller tremor was felt on Sunday midnight at
a magnitude of 2.8 , following Monday morning the public were shocked
with a 6.40 Magnitude Earthquake the biggest on yet. This totaled up
to 4 earthquakes in just under three days..
Samoa wasn't the only island nation affected . Niuatoputapu in Tonga
,a magnitude of 6.7 was also felt in the early hours of Monday ,
making it slightly stronger than what was identified in Samoa. The
Tongan Meteorology office has also advised the public to be prepared
and stay alert.
Samoa schools have closed for the meantime and will continue in due
notice. The Yr 10 National Examinations. The exams scheduled to start
this week have been postponed due to the warnings and official
announcements sent out by the Government.
Some businesses and Government public workers have left their work
places and have gone home to their families. The Apia town was slowly
getting emptied as citizens across the island have headed to higher
grounds and to their homes.
Samoa has gone through a phase of DeJa Vu today as they
were reminded of the tragic incident on the 29th of September 2009.
Similarly to today where a deadly Tsunami hit the South Coastal of
Upolu. The earthquake was noted at a high of 7.9 , that caused a tsunami and claimed 192 lives.