WELLINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - New Zealand has downgraded its tsunami warning to a tsunami alert after a 40 centimetre (16 inches) wave hit the coast following a large earthquake near Samoa.
Widespread damage and fatalities have been reported after the mangnitude 8.3 earthquake struck near American Samoa earlier on Wednesday.
A spokesman for New Zealand's Civil Defence agency said the alert had been downgraded after coastal sensors detected a wave about 40 centimetres hitting the coast, after a 1 metre wave had been expected.
((Wellington newsroom tel 64 4471 4234, fax +64 4 4736 212,
wellington.newsroom@reuters.com)) Keywords: NEWZEALAND/TSUNAMI (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Widespread damage and fatalities have been reported after the mangnitude 8.3 earthquake struck near American Samoa earlier on Wednesday.
A spokesman for New Zealand's Civil Defence agency said the alert had been downgraded after coastal sensors detected a wave about 40 centimetres hitting the coast, after a 1 metre wave had been expected.
((Wellington newsroom tel 64 4471 4234, fax +64 4 4736 212,
wellington.newsroom@reuters.com)) Keywords: NEWZEALAND/TSUNAMI (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.