MPs and officials inside the Samoan parliament quickly evacuated the building when another quake hit Samoa after eleven yesterday morning. The Parliament session was unceremoniously aborted as MPs quickly headed for the door to access their vehicles should a tsunami warning be sounded.

The session resumed half an hour later and the Prime Minister told Parliament that the public need not wait for the warnings to be issued.

He said that after an unusually strong earthquake that caused a tsunami three weeks ago, people must not wait for a warning but head straight to higher grounds for safety. He said that earthquake was not only strong but shook for 3 minutes which means the stronger the earthquake, the greater the possibility for a tsunami.

The tremor was measured 6.2 on the Richter scale which was not strong enough to cause a tsunami.

Parliament started with the Speaker going through a long list of messages of well wishes and condolences from various parliaments around the world in the wake of the tsunami.

Workers in most offices in Apia such as the Development Bank, Central Bank, NPF and the Government Building also left the buildings quickly in fear.

It has also been confirmed that a lot of people stayed Sunday night in the forest having believed a rumour that a major natural disaster was to hit Samoa. The rumour was linked to the image on the John Williams Building saying an inscription in Latin was translated by the Carmelite Sisters as a warning of an imminent major disaster.

Father Sp Silva of the Archbishops office has asked the public not to start and spread unfounded stories. He said that in this week of prayers and fasting, people must also pray to put a stop to such unfounded rumours that cause unnecessary strife and stress in many people.

He said the most important message is for people to be alert and be prepared at all times and to have peace with God and with themselves.

Written by Lance Polu, on 21-10-2009 03:25

Source: Talamua

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