At least seven dead after quake, tsunami hit Samoa

There are reports a child was lost in the tsunami when it hit Manono Island, pictured. File photo / NZ Herald

Samoan residents have been evacuated from the coast to higher ground after a magnitude 8.3 quake struck this morning, followed by a tsunami.

The quake struck at 6.48am NZ time and was centred 200 kilometres from Samoa's capital Apia at a depth of 35 kilometres.

Witnesses reported that buildings and houses had been damaged and at least two people have died in American Samoa.

Russell Hunter, editor of Samoa Observer, has told The Age in Melbourne at least five people have died in a beach village "devastated" by large waves after the powerful quake.

He said a journalist had reported the fatalities in the village of Fautasi, west of the capital Apia, caused by massive waves rather than an earthquake.

Newstalk ZB reported that a three metre wave had hit Samoa's coast.

However the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center reported waves of 1.57m had been recorded at Pago-Pago on American Samoa.

The waves that have caused destruction on Western Samoa's Upolu island were not as big, measuring about 0.7m above normal sea level.

A Radio Polynesia reporter told Radio New Zealand the south and south-east coasts of Upolu appeared to have been hardest hit.

"By the sound of some of the reports that have been coming in, it's not pretty at all," he said.

There were reports that low-lying parts of Monono Island, west of Upolu Island, had been underwater, he said.

Samoan journalist Cherelle Jackson said buildings and houses had been damaged by the wave and witnesses had told Radio Polynesia that three children had been injured in the quake.

There were also unconfirmed reports of deaths she said.

Ms Jackson said a full tsunami alert was activated about ten minutes after the quake.

All of the capital Apia has been evacuated to higher ground.

"All the schools, workplaces everyone has walked up - it's like a ghost town," she said.

There was a really good response from residents who had practised evacuation drills before she said "within minutes school children were walking up the hill".

Aftershocks are continuing to be felt.