The death toll in Samoa now stands at fourteen, though I wonder if the hills have been searched yet, or are even accessible.
Radio here is calling on our islands to the north, the Niuas mentioned above, to try to get in touch as there is no word from them and they are close to the earthquake and tsunami, seemingly right in its path. I think there is cell phone service going to up there, but something isn't right. The Niua island of Niuafo'o is known as "tin can island' because in the old days, mail was simply dropped into the sea by passing vessels and picked up that way too. Maybe we need to go back to that system! They had a volcanic eruption up there some years ago and the population was moved down to our southern island of 'Eua, but many have now, finally, returned and resettled there. They have a special kind of pandanus, for mat weaving, and a special seashell up there for decoration, both of which are highly prized. We can also get a special kind of volcanic rock, perfect for umu use (underground oven), they don't break down like our limestone ones (none of this relative, of course, just blabbing on!!!)
I recall standing on a cliff in Hawaii's Big Island and looking down at the beautiful valley where a, I believe,' thirties tsunami wiped the place out, many having gone to the ocean as the water moved out, and then getting caught when it came in again.
So it was interesting when Malia's cousin Va'inga related that, with school out, everyone was aligned along the waterfront, waiting for the tsunami which had been announced. Va'inga went and got her kids to come home, disbelieving that everyone would act in that way.
Then a report by our geology department to the effect that if a tsunami were to hit during off hours, when their good offices are closed, no one would be informed of a tsunami coming. it seems that budgetary considerations means a part time warning system.
Government in in-action!!!
So how do we spend these anxious hours? Painting the front porch naturally!