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Homeland Security issues tsunami ‘all clear’ for American Samoa

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reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Territorial authorities have issued an all clear bulletin for American Samoa following a tsunami warning early today, as a result of an earthquake near New Zealand.

The American Samoa Homeland Security Department (ASDHS) issued the all clear at 11:30a.m. local time.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Hawaii issued around 8:40a.m. American Samoa time, a tsunami warning for American Samoa following a magnitude 8.0 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region around 8:28a.m. today.

The warning resulted in businesses, schools and other activities on the shoreline of villages on Tutuila island to cancel and people moved to higher grounds. Traffic in town jammed as motorist heading out of town area, while the Port of Pago Pago was shutdown. Lawmakers cancelled their session and a House committee hearing was cut-short when the warning was issued.

Just over an hour later, the PTWC downgraded the warning to an advisory. About an hour later, PTWC canceled the advisory for American Samoa, and followed by the 11:30a.m. all clear bulletin issued by ASDHS.

The ASDHS bulletin also says that Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga authorized ASDHS to issue an “all clear” status for American Samoa.