PAC: Death toll in Samoas tsunami reaches 149
Thu Oct 1 19:06:43 EST 2009
Thu Oct 1 09:06:43 UTC 2009
APIA, Sept 30 AP - Samoa's prime minister says the death toll from the tsunami that crashed over his island nation has reached 110, bringing the total across the affected South Pacific countries to 149.
Shortly after Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele spoke to reporters on Wednesday, police commander Lilo Maiava said the toll would rise.
Maiava said, "It may take a week, two weeks or even three weeks" to complete a painstaking search for the many people still missing.
At least 30 people were killed on American Samoa and at least seven in Tonga by the tsunami Tuesday morning, which occurred after a magnitude 8.0 quake struck off Samoa.
