W. Samoa police on tsunami: "Yes there have been deaths". Then they hung up.

[CocoaBeachCoco]

:scared:


Sept 30 (Reuters) - A South Pacific tsunami killed an unknown number of people in Western Samoa on Wednesday, a local police spokeswoman said, as the island nation's people fled to higher ground after a big sub-sea quake.

"The tsunami has struck some parts of the country," a local police spokeswoman said by phone. Asked if there had been any deaths, she added: "Yes" and then hung up.

The epicenter of the 8.0 magnitude quake was located 120 miles (190 km) southwest of American Samoa, which lies near Western Samoa, the U.S. Geological Survey said. (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate, editing by Mark Bendeich)

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSSYA00612320090929

[kestrel91316]

1. I imagine they are too busy to spend time chatting with some vapid,

breathless reporter who wants all the gory details.

[CocoaBeachCoco]

3. D'accord. Just mean it sounds bad.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Absolutely

In the middle of it the last thing you want or need are breathless reporters.

[rvablue]

8. If that's what you think of ALL journalists, then why'd you click on the link?

Ever think of people on the mainland who might have family and friends on the island, can't get through on the phone and are desperately trying to find out what happened?

I guess, in your mind, they're all sadists who are making the rounds on the phone after a disaster to get their rocks off.

Journalists have a job to do -- I'll give you that right now, not many do it well. But the most basic part of that job is to gather FACTS for disemination to the general public. Might seem insenstive when people are dying, but I think you and others like you would be bitching if there was no information to be had, too.

[kestrel91316]

9. Whee did I say I thought that of ALL journalists? You seem to think you know

a lot about what is in my head.

I just think the folks in Samoa probably have a lot better things to do than talk on the phone right now. Probably like removing corpses from the police station itself.

[malaise]

2. Yep this looks bad

http://www.abc.net.au/news/
<snip>
Samoan quake spawns killer tsunami Photo

Deaths have been reported in Samoa and American Samoa after a powerful 8.3-magnitude quake sparked a tsunami and sent residents fleeing to higher ground across the region this morning.

US officials said there had been deaths in American Samoa while police in Western Samoa said the tsunami had caused an unknown number of deaths there. There are also reports that three children died in Samoa as the tsunami flattened houses and swept away cars.

[Barack_America]

5. They would have had, what? 10 minutes warning?

Maybe 20?

I really, REALLY hope people were paying attention.

I have an idea that this is about to get very sad though. It's strange, less than a week ago I was gripped with the sudden need to revisit the tsunami of 2004. Hadn't thought of it in a long time. Must be all these natural disaster documentaries they're showing on the discovery channel.

[Vinnie From Indy]

7. That is wild you said that

I too googled mega-tsunami last week and spent an hour or so looking at all the pictures of the 2004 tsunami. That is just weird!

[malaise]

6. Early report frpm BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8281616.stm
<snip>
A tsunami caused by a powerful earthquake in the Pacific has killed at least three people and injured 50 in Samoa, officials said.

Dr Lemalu Fiu of the main hospital in the capital, Apia, said the number of casualties is expected to rise as the injured arrive from coastal areas.

An 8.3-magnitude quake struck at 1748 GMT, generating 5ft (1.57m) waves in Apia and Pago Pago, American Samoa.

[Nikki Stone1]

10. Thanks for the update.

:kick: