Three strong earthquakes rocked the South Pacific near the Vanuatu archipelago yesterday, generating panic a week on from the killer tsunami in the region.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a regional tsunami warning for 11 nations and territories including New Zealand after a quake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck 294km northwest of the Vanuatu island of Santo at a depth of 35km.
Two other quakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.3 followed in the same area.
The centre cancelled the tsunami warnings after sea-level readings indicated that the wave generated by the quakes was too small - at 4cm - to cause much damage.
There were no immediate reports of injury or damage from officials in Vanuatu, a chain of 83 islands 2200km northwest of Auckland.
"We have no damage reports yet, but we have had no contact with Santo so far," Vanuatu police spokesman Take Rakau said in the capital, Port Vila.
While the quakes were not felt in Port Vila, he said Santo island "most likely could have felt them".
However, others in Vanuatu reported chaotic scenes.
"People are hysterical, trying to find out what's going on and contacting family members. Phone lines are going down as a result," an official with aid group Care Australia said.
The alerts caused thousands of residents to flee to higher ground in three other Pacific islands.
"There is panic here, too," Chris McKee, assistant director of the Geophysical Observatory in the Papua New Guinea capital, Port Moresby, said.
"Offices have closed. People have rushed out on to the streets and are climbing hills.
"A lot of places have shut down ... We tried to put the dampeners on it, but it was already out of hand."
In Tuvalu, the low-lying nation of eight coral atolls with about 10,000 people, thousands fled inland, some clustering around the government building in the capital, Funafuti - the only multi-storey building in the country.
"We've had a bulletin cancelling the warning, and that has been broadcast," weather office head Hilia Vavae said.
"Even though nothing happened, it was a good exercise for us. We now can react and get to safety."
Thursday's warnings also created worry in American Samoa, where at least 32 people were killed and hundreds of homes destroyed in last week's tsunami.
Residents of the coastal village of Utulei fled to the hills after hearing there was a tsunami watch for the US territory.
Schools, government building and other residents were also evacuated to higher ground. Traffic was snarled in downtown villages of Pago Pago and Fagatogo.
Locally, the Civil Defence ministry maintained a tsunami watch until 4.30pm after issuing a tsunami warning for the whole country in the morning, despite saying they did not expect the country to suffer any damage.
People were warned to remain cautious of continuing strong currents.
How you can help
Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government
Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office
ANZ bank
Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00
Oxfam
- Make a secure online donation at Oxfam.org.nz
- Phone 0800 400 666 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 600 20
Caritas
- Make a secure online donation at Caritas.org.nz
- Phone 0800 22 10 22 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 4 11 11
TEAR fund
- Make a secure online donation at tearfund.co.nz
- Phone 0800 800 777 to specify Samoa the Philippines or Indonesia. You can also donate at CD and DVD stores.
Mercury Energy
- Donate at mercury.co.nz
or text the word Samoa followed by the amount you wish to pledge and your Mercury account number to 515 or by calling 0800 10 18 10.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is asking for help with the clean-up habitat.org.nz
