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South Pacific: Tsunami - Sep 2009

Disaster description

On 29 September 2009, at the universal time of 17:48:07, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre reported an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 8.3, which generated a Pacific-wide tsunami warning. The earthquake lasted over five minutes, and its epicentre was located 190 km southwest of American Samoa. The most affected area of Tonga was Niua Tongatapu. (IFRC, 5 Oct 2009) The earthquake and the high waves, some of which were said to be as high as 6 metres, caused serious damages to the affected Pacific Island countries. (OCHA, 2 Oct 2009)

The official death toll in Samoa was 143, and five people remained missing as of 22 October 2009. An estimated 4,500 people were directly affected by the tsunami, most of whom were displaced. In Tonga, nine people died and seven were seriously injured as a result of the tsunami that struck the northern island of Niuatoputapu. The Tongan government estimated that the total cost of damage as Tongan Pa'anga 18.2 million (approximately US$9.5 million). (OCHA, 22 Oct 2009)

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