LATEST: Two villages in Samoa have just been hit by a tsunami, unconfirmed reports from Samoa radio say.
Polynesia Radio in Apia told Stuff that they were receiving reports from Siumu and Lotofago that a tsunami had come ashore.
Both are on the south side of Upolu island, exposed to the area where a strong 8.3 magnitude earthquake hit this morning.
The earthquake, at a depth of 35 kilometres, was centred 205 kilometres south of the Samoan capital of Apia, and 2685 kilometres north east of Auckland. It struck at 6.48am New Zealand time.
Radio Polynesia said the quake lasted for up to a minute and tsunami sirens had been sounded and tsunami phone text warnings were issued.
"Lots of people are heading for the high ground now," a station staffer said.
CNN in Hawaii is quoting Chip McCreery, director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in saying that the quake generated a three metre - measured from crest to trough - tsunami.
The Center has issued a tsunami warning and watch in effect of American Samoa, Samo, Niue, Wallis-Futuna, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Fiji, New Zealand and French Polynesia.
In its evaluation the centre says it is not known that a tsunami was generated.
"This warning is based only on the earthquake evaluation," the centre said.
"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more distance coastlines within hours."
Authorities in various countries have been told to "take appropriate action in response to this possibility".
It a tsunami was generated it will have hit Pago Pago, American Samoa, around now.
The center says a possible tsunami could reach New Zealand's East Cape at 9.44am and Gisborne at 10am.
Other centres, including Napier, Auckland, Wellington and Lyttelton are also warned to be alert.
In New Zealand, the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management has issued a tsunami warning for all of New Zealand following the earthquake.
The ministry is advising people to continue checking news sources for further information.
Ministry spokesperson Vince Cholewa said it was assessing information being recieved from around the Pacific, but based on the size of the quake and the history of eathquakes in the region it is unlikely there would be a tsunami that would be a risk to New Zealand.
Tsunami warning in effect - NOW
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Originally Posted by Dave Lobster
If worst comes to worst, I've been meaning to practice my backstroke, anyway
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