The Azerbaijan State News Agency

WORLD

TSUNAMI KILLS AT LEAST 145 PEOPLE IN SAMOA ISLANDS

30.09.2009 [12:49]
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Baku, September 30 (AZERTAC). A tsunami triggered by a strong quake in the South Pacific has killed at least 65 people in Samoa and more than 20 in American Samoa, BBC said.

The Samoan authorities say at least another 145 people have been injured and whole villages destroyed. American Samoa`s delegate to the US Congress said thousands of people had been left homeless in the territory.

The Samoa islands comprise two separate entities - the nation of Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory - with a total population of about 250,000 people.

A tsunami warning was initially issued for the wider region but cancelled a few hours later.

The general manager of Samoa`s National Health Service told the BBC that 65 people had died and 145 people were injured.

US President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in American Samoa, enabling federal funding to made available to help victims.

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