A magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit Samoa Tuesday 29th September 2009 at 6:48 am local time. The shallow earthquake generated a tsunami which hit Samoa causing destruction to villages and causing an unknown number of deaths. Tsunami height was 1.5 m at Pago Pago (Samoa), 0.7 m at Apia Upolu (Samoa) and 0.4 m at Rarotonga (Cook Islands). A wider tsunami watch for the Pacific Ocean was later cancelled. The closest volcano to the earthquake epicentre is Curacoa is Tonga, 170 km west. Curacoa volcano last erupted in 1979.
Volcanoes of Samoa...
Volcanoes of Tonga...
About John Seach
- John Seach
- John Seach is a scientist and the world's leading volcano adventurer. Over the past 24 years John has traveled to the world's most exciting volcanoes, and witnessed eruptions during trips to more than 200 volcanoes. John's work has been featured on award winning television programmes. John is the founder of "Volcano Live", the world's first volcano news and volcano travel website.