The topography of Tutuila, largest of the islands of American Samoa, is well shown in this color-coded perspective view generated with digital elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM.) The total area of Tutuila is about 141.8 square kilometers (54.8 square miles), slightly larger than San Francisco. The large bay near the center in this view is Pago Pago Harbor, actually a submerged volcanic crater whose south wall collapsed millions of years ago. Adjacent to the harbor is Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa, and to the left (west) of the harbor in this view is Matafao Peak, Tutuila’s highest point at 653 meters (2,142 feet). NASA image

FEMA

FEMA and its federal partners continue to work closely with Governor Tulafono to respond in areas of American Samoa impacted by the tsunami. The information below represents the movement of supplies into the island territory in the aftermath of Tuesday’s tsunami. The information is accurate as of 1:30 p.m. EDT. For updates please contact the FEMA News Desk.

C-130 Flights:

A United States Coast Guard C-130, from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Calif. arrived at 7 a.m local time (2 p.m. EDT) on September 30^th in Pago Pago, American Samoa. This flight carried Governor Tulafono, who was in Hawaii at the time of the tsunami, the initial response team of 50 personnel including Federal Coordinating Officer, Kenneth J. Tingman, Defense Coordinating Officer Col. James George, as well as team supplies for seven days.

A second United States Coast Guard C-130 from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Calif. arrived in American Samoa at approximately 7 p.m. on September 30^th, (2 a.m. EDT, October 1^st). This flight included additional commodities and FEMA personnel including the Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT), a regionally-based incident ‘strike team’ and the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), medical expert volunteers that are part of the National Disaster Medical System.

C-17 National Guard Flights:

A Hawaii National Guard C-17 cargo flight from Honolulu arrived in American Samoa at 1 a.m. local time (8 a.m. EDT) on October 1^st. This flight included over 40 National Guard personnel, four vehicles, hazmat materials, communications equipment, cots, blankets, food and water.

An additional Hawaii National Guard C-17 cargo flight arrived at 4 a.m. (11 a.m. EDT) on October 1^st in American Samoa. This flight included 20 additional National Guard personnel, five vehicles, hazmat materials, communications equipment, cots, blankets, food and water.

A third National Guard C-17 from McChord AFB in Bothell, WA is scheduled to arrive late tonight, local American Samoa time. This flight includes FEMA and National Guard personnel including National Guard CERF-P Search and Rescue teams, vehicles, trailers and cargo.

USS Ingraham:

This United States Navy frigate arrived in American Samoa on September 30^th with food, water, commodities and two Seahawk helicopters available for search and recovery operations. The helicopters have already allowed Governor Tulafono and Federal Coordinating Officer Kenneth J. Tingman to survey damage to American Samoa.

Red Cross

The American Red Cross is on the ground in American Samoa where a tsunami swept across the island after a powerful earthquake hit the South Pacific.

Red Cross has dozens of volunteers already providing food and supplies to those on the island. A team of 50 volunteers is being sent in to supplement the efforts of the local Red Cross team. The Red Cross has a warehouse on American Samoa supplied with cots, flashlights, and cooking and clean-up supplies, and will be sending in additional supplies as quickly as possible.

“We will get there as quickly as we can with what we can,” said Joe Becker, senior vice president for Red Cross Disaster Services. “Our first priority is to provide food and water.” After yesterday’s 8.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami, a significant portion of American Samoa is without power or water amid widespread damage.

Getting information out of the island is very slow at this time. The Red Cross urges those who have been able to contact loved ones on American Samoa to register them with Safe and Well, the best way to share information about their status. You can register on the Red Cross Safe and Well Website at www.redcross.org. If you do not have internet access, call 1-800-REDCROSS to register your loved ones. The information you post will let other loved ones know about the well-being of those on the island. Please note – Safe and Well works only on American Samoa. The service will not work on Samoa.

Associated Press

The dead from Tuesday’s earthquake and tsunami include 120 in Samoa, 31 in American Samoa and nine in Tonga. Samoan police commander Lilo Maiava said the search for bodies could continue another three weeks.

Doctors and nurses were sent to devastated villages, and a refrigerated freight container was being used as a temporary morgue for the scores of bodies showing up at a Samoan hospital, officials said.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand sent in supplies and troops, including a U.S. Navy frigate carrying two helicopters that will be used in search-and-rescue efforts. The Hawaii Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force flew three cargo planes to American Samoa that carried 100 Navy and Army guard personnel and reservists.

Airmen from the 204th Airlift Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard, load a vehicle onto a C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 30 at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, in preparation for departure for a humanitarian mission in Amercian Samoa. The island nation was devastated by an earthquake and Tsunami Sept. 29. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jerome Tayborn)

FEMA

FEMA Headquarters:

• FEMA NRCC is at Level 1 (24/7) with selected Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)

Region IX:

• RRCC at Level 1 (24/7) with all ESF

Airlift:

• FEMA Region IX is responsible for setting priority of cargo and passenger flow to the island. A USCG C-130 landed this morning with assessment teams, medical supplies, food, shelter and LNO from JFHQ-HI who has been in touch with the Army Reserve unit on the island.
• The first C-17, arrived from Hawaii with 46 HING members from the Medical and Search and Extraction elements of the Hawaii CERF-P and members of the C2 Communications.
• The second aircraft is scheduled to depart at 0100 EDT on October 1, 2009 with primarily FEMA assets containing food and water from storage facilities on Hawaii. HING will have approximate 6 members on the aircraft.
• The third aircraft is scheduled to depart at 0300 EDT on October 1, 2009. This aircraft will include 20 HING members from the CERF-P Search and Extraction Team and Mortuary Affairs along with supplies.

Status of Response:

• There are seven shelters open with 907 occupants.
• The roads have been cleared, but the bridge to Leone has temporary shoring to allow for emergency vehicles.
• The power for the eastern district is unresolved and will require significant ESF-12 support with an estimated time of completion of 30 days.
• The water to the eastern district is terminal due to power shortages, but the majority of the water on island is flowing, but there are some water pressure issues.
• The hospital is still at capacity, but holding strong; they are purchasing distilled water for dialysis and lab work from local businesses.
• The medication list submitted to Region IX is being filled in total by ESF-8 and should begin arriving today.
• Schools in the western district will begin opening later today.
• There are no fuel shortages being reported. (Region IX, FEMA HQ)

National Park Service

Shortly before 7 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29th, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck 120 miles from American Samoa, a U. S. territory with a population of approximately 65,000 people. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami that produced several large waves that destroyed the park’s visitor center and offices.

All park employees and volunteers are accounted for and are safe. At least one employee’s house and four employees’ vehicles were destroyed by the tsunami. Fortunately, this event happened early enough in the day that most employees were not yet at work and were in areas of high ground that were unaffected by the wave impacts. The few employees who were at the office were able to run to the safety of high ground, although most of them had to run through water to get there.

The park visitor center and all contents, including the park’s curatorial collections, were destroyed. The entire park fleet of vehicles was destroyed with the exception of two vehicles.

The extent of damage to park marine resources will not be known for some time. Undoubtedly there will be impacts to coral reefs and there will be significant amounts of debris in the water and along beaches. Most of the park terrestrial resources appear to be undamaged.

Park staff initially assisted the U. S. Coast Guard with rescue and recovery operations on site and are currently engaged in assessing and providing for the well-being of NPS employees and volunteers. They have also been assessing damage to park facilities, salvaging equipment and cultural resources, and securing NPS property from looters. Park staff will be available to continue assisting with the broader FEMA-led recovery operation in the coming days.

Park employees are doing a great job of keeping their spirits up and helping each other and the rest of the community through this difficult event. Special agent Neal Akana from Hawaii Volcanos National Park flew to American Samoa yesterday morning and has been acting as the NPS representative at the FEMA unified command meetings. He is working with superintendent Mike Reynolds to prepare for the arrival of the Western Incident Management Team, critical incident stress management personnel, and other support staff who will arrive tomorrow. A team of cultural resource specialists will be assisting with the assessment and recovery of cultural resources in the park and will likely assist with the broader recovery efforts on the islands.

U.S. Air Force

Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs departed here Sept. 30 with approximately 100 military personnel to provide humanitarian assistance to the island of American Samoa.

The island nation was struck Sept. 29 by an 8.3 magnitude earthquake generating 15-foot waves and destroying whole villages. At least 111 people are reported dead in American Samoa, neighboring Samoa and Tonga.

The operation is a joint military effort shared by personnel from the 735th Air Mobility Squadron; 15th Airlift Wing; 154th Medical Group, Hawaii Air National Guard; and Hawaii National Guard chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives Enhanced Response Force (CERF).

“We will provide search and rescue missions, medical triage and treatment, command and control, communications support, damage assessment and hazardous material capability,” said Maj. Dave Lowery commander 293rd Combat Communications Squadron, who is the deputy task force commander for the operation. “Our assets will allow us to sustain life support for 96 hours.”

Part of the equipment and supplies include cargo vans, trailers, pickup trucks, bottled water, meals ready to eat and medical supplies.

“We are ready for anything out there,” said Major Lowery. “We want to efficiently and effectively support the impacted areas and ensure our people are safely and properly equipped. Our presence there should reduce the public’s anxiety, mitigate any danger and restore critical functions.”

U.S. military personnel in the Pacific train routinely for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations and are postured to rapidly deploy around the globe in response to crises across the military spectrum from natural disasters to conflict.

“As soon as we arrive, we’ll integrate with the local military to provide the support where needed,” said Major Lowery. “We’re here to help.”

American Samoa is a U.S. unorganized, unincorporated territory located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa. With an estimated population of 57,291, it is the only U.S. possession in the southern hemisphere.

Sidney Morning Herald

Brisbane Times

Select travel times and distances from U.S. bases to American Samoa

Click on the image for a larger view.

The area affected by the earthquake and several tsunamis on September 30 is in the remote South Pacific. The people of the island nations of Samoa, Tonga and the territory of American Samoa have all suffered deaths and destruction on a massive scale.

Typhoon damage in Southeast Asia and a major earthquake in Indonesia have diverted attention and assistance from this disaster. Yet, the United States, Australia and New Zealand are rushing support to the area.

Calculations performed by the European Community staff suggests that the waves hitting Pago Pago in American Samoa were about 8.8 feet, though they could have been higher locally. Wave heights in Samoa were about 3 feet lower.

The United States has sent one C-130 aircraft to Pago Pago and two C-17 aircraft from the Hawaii National Guard are also expected to arrive this evening. 90 Guardsmen are on board.

The USS Ingraham is expected to arrive shortly. It carries two helicopters.

FEMA

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced additional federal support en route to American Samoa by air. The flights below represent the first legs in an “air bridge” being established to ferry supplies into the island territory in the immediate aftermath of Tuesday’s tsunami. Flights will continue for the foreseeable future in order to respond to the needs of the survivors on the ground.FEMA and its federal partners continue to work closely with territorial and local government to respond in areas impacted by the tsunami. Planned flights for the response efforts that will include personnel, skill sets and commodities, are as follows:

C-130 Flight:
A U.S. Coast Guard C-130, from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Calif., left Honolulu at 11 p.m. HDT (5 a.m. EDT) carrying the initial response team as well as FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO), Kenneth J Tingman. Tingman will coordinate closely with Region IX who has the lead on the response until a Joint Field Office is established. [snip]

Additional personnel on the flight include a FEMA logistics team and initial staff from U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS), the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense. They arrived around sunrise in Pago Pago which was early this afternoon eastern time.

C-17 National Guard Flight:
A Hawaii National Guard C-17 cargo flight is scheduled for travel from Honolulu to Samoa later today. The cargo on this flight will include primary commodities such as food, generators, water, shelter materials, and medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.

DC-8 Flights:
Supplies are now being loaded onto multiple DC-8 planes in Dallas-Fort Worth. One flight will head toward Samoa today and additional flights will leave tomorrow. These flights will include FEMA, HHS and Coast Guard staff as well as expertise from the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the American Red Cross. These flights will also include commodities including vehicles, generators, food, cots and blankets.

There are some outstanding graphics at this NOAA Tide Gauges site showing the tsunamis.

National Park Service

Shortly before 7 a.m. yesterday morning, an earthquake with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3 struck 120 miles from American Samoa, a U. S. territory with a population of approximately 65,000 people. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami that produced several large waves that destroyed the park’s visitor center and offices. Employees at the park fled uphill to escape the onshore surge. Some employees were overtaken by water, but were able to run through it to the safety of high ground. All employees and park volunteers are currently accounted for and safe. At least one park employee’s residence was destroyed. Resource and facilities damage assessments are in progress. Personnel, including the Western All-Hazard Incident Management Team, are en route to provide assistance. FEMA is managing the overall response to this event.

President Obama

Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the earthquake and tsunami in American Samoa and the region. I am closely monitoring these tragic events, and have declared a major disaster for American Samoa, which will provide the tools necessary for a full, swift and aggressive response. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in close and constant contact with emergency responders, and the U.S. Coast Guard is fully supporting the deployment of resources to those areas in need of immediate assistance. We also stand ready to help our friends in Samoa and the region. Going forward, we will continue to provide the resources necessary to respond to this catastrophe, and we will keep those who have lost so much in our thoughts and prayers.

FEMA

• A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck at 1:48 pm EDT Tuesday, Sep 29, 2009 approximately 140 miles southwest of American Samoa.
• Capitol city of Pago Pago hit with significant tsunami wash of 5.1 feet with lower heights seen elsewhere.
• Western District of American Samoa is without power–estimated at a minimum of 30 days to repair.  More than half of the Eastern District is without water and power.
• Fatalities and injuries have been reported.
• LBJ Hospital has power and water and is operational.
• Significant damage to infrastructure including power, water, and industry.  Total extent unknown-on-the-ground assessment on-going.
• Road washouts and debris are prevalent.  The bridge leading to the town of Leona has been repaired and is open to emergency traffic only.
• USGS reports numerous aftershocks ranging from 4.8 to 5.8 magnitude.
• AS EOC reports 15 shelters open, and 2,690 displaced persons.
• Damage assessments are currently being completed.
• The seaport at Pago Pago is operational.  The USN is sending the USS Ingraham to provide as-needed support-arrival time estimated at 1900 local time 30Sep09.
• Main airport on American Samoa reported by the FAA to be cleared of debris with both runways operational.
• Hawaiian Airlines is planning a humanitarian flight coordinated with American Samoa later on 30Sep09 (tentative 1500PST)