A huge emergency effort is under way in the Samoan Islands after towering tsunami waves triggered by an 8.0 earthquake left dozens dead and entire villages flattened or submerged.
A damaged boat washed up inside a building in Pago Pago, American Samoa.
At least 84 people are so far confirmed dead in American Samoa and neighboring Samoa but officials fear the toll will rise as rescue workers work to reach outlying villages. Seven people were also confirmed killed in Tonga.
The quake hit the small cluster of Samoan islands in the South Pacific early Tuesday.
In Samoa, the death toll currently stands at 55, according to government minister Maulolo Tavita, but he said he feared the number of casualities would continue to rise.read more
