Posted on 10/01/2009 6:42:08 AM PDT by kingattax
APIA, Samoa – Samoans searched flattened homes and debris-filled swamps, while dazed survivors told of being trapped underwater or flung inland by a tsunami that ravaged towns and killed at least 150 people in the South Pacific.
The day after the disaster struck, officials were expecting the death toll to rise as more areas were searched.
"To me it was like a monster — just black water coming to you. It wasn't a wave that breaks, it was a full force of water coming straight," said Luana Tavale, an American Samoa government employee.
Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele's own village of Lesa was washed away — like many others on Samoa and nearby American Samoa and Tonga. He inspected Wednesday the southeast coast of the main Samoan island of Upolu, the most heavily hit area. He described seeing "complete" devastation.
"In some villages absolutely no house was standing. All that was achieved within 10 minutes by the very powerful tsunami," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
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