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  • Thursday, 25 March 2010
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Special Reports

Disasters In Pacific

Undersea earthquakes recently have been strong in the South Pacific, rocking the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the islands of Samoa, and elsewhere. A tsunami developed on 29 September, hitting both Samoa and American Samoa, causing death and extensive damage. Hundreds of casualties are also reported in Indonesia from the earthquakes. Additionally, the Philippines has been struck by Typhoon Parma. VOA is covering the events, including rescue, relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts.

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Indonesian Tsunami Survivors Arrive to Help Earthquake Victims

Victims of the recent earthquake that hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra are getting help from their neighbors to the north, survivor

Two boys walk through a damaged village in American Samoa

Samoans Get Aid, Struggle to Move On

Survivors remember those lost in tsunami

Landslide Death Toll Above 200 in Northern Philippines

Officials say death toll continues to rise and many people are still missing

More Than 90 Killed in Northern Philippines Landslides

Typhoon Parma has been pounding country with heavy rain since Saturday

Traffic clogs the narrow roads out of the capital Apia as residents flee from a tsunami warning in Samoa, 07 Oct 2009

Tsunami Alert Canceled After Series of Pacific Earthquakes

United States Geological Survey says 6.7 earthquake occurred in Pacific 280 kilometers from Philippines early Thursday

Undersea Quakes Trigger Panic in South Pacific

But scientists say recent spike in activity is not unusual and just a part of normal cycle of earthquake activity

Samoans Wait for Aid, Start Rebuilding

Villagers get help from other people, government, Red Cross to rebuild their homes, while trying to salvage anything to have sentimenta

Indonesia Considers More Mass Graves for Quake Victims

Officials say as many as 400 people may have been buried alive by muddy landslides that washed over villages in Padang district of Suma

UN Launches Multimillion Dollar Appeal for Philippines Disaster

Appeal is for $74 million to provide emergency assistance to hundreds of thousands of victims of two catastrophic typhoons that have st

Indonesian Earthquake Aid Distribution Underway

US sends first installment of multimillion dollar assistance package to Indonesian Island of Sumatra, to aid victims of recent earthqua

Devastated Village in American Samoa Recovers From Tsunami

Residents of seaside village are coping with the ravages of nature say the bonds of community are helping them recover

Recovery Effort Beginning in American Samoa

Power, telecommunications restored, schools and businesses reopen in most parts of island

Indonesian Earthquake Rescue Efforts Increase In Villages

Emergency workers shift focus from Padang city to rural areas where landslides buried entire villages

Samoan Tsunami Victims Turn to Faith for Support

People are turning to each other and faith for support as cleanup, recovery efforts continue

Indonesian Earthquake Efforts Shift to Rebuilding Phase

More than 1,000 people died in last week's quake and over 180,000 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed

Earthquake Victims in Indonesian Villages Need Help to Rebuild

Poor villagers hurt by the earthquake say they need help from foreign countries, like the US to rebuild

Hope Fades for Buried Indonesian Quake Victims

In rural areas outside Padang, some villages have been wiped out by landslides triggered by the earthquake

Officials: 3,000 People Trapped Due to Indonesian Quake

People may still be trapped in rubble from powerful earthquake that devastated Indonesia's port city of Padang

Some people are only eating one meal a day

UN Group Demands Better Rescue Efforts In Disasters

Appeal comes at regional conference in Budapest, Hungary of the UN's International Search And Rescue Advisory Group

Earthquake Cripples Indonesian City of Padang

Undersea earthquake that hit Indonesian island of Sumatra originated only 50  kilometers from city

Death Toll Rises in Pacific Islands, Families Cope with Losses from Tsunami

People of American Samoa starting to clean up as they cope with their vivid memories

3 Dead as Typhoon Parma Hits Philippines

Typhoon, with gusts of about 200 kilometers per hour, made landfall Saturday, tearing roofs off buildings, toppling trees, cutting powe

Pallets of relief supplies to be delivered to Padang, Indonesia being readied at Yokota Air Force Base in Japan by U.S. Air Force personnel

US Military Helping in Four Pacific Disasters

Forces deployed for relief efforts following storms and tsunami damage

Critical Humanitarian Operations Underway In Asia-Pacific

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is mounting a huge humanitarian relief operation to help victims of si

'State of Calamity' in Philippines as Typhoon Nears

Typhoon Parma is forecast to hit Philippine's east coast Saturday with sustained winds of nearly 200 kilometers per hour

Rescue Workers Search for Survivors from Asian Disasters, Death Toll Likely to Rise

Death toll from Indonesia earthquake likely to pass 1,000; more than 400 killed by Typhoon Ketsana in Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, L

Foreign Rescue Teams Assist Indonesia Quake Victims

Medical teams, search dogs, earth-moving equipment and emergency supplies have been trickling into Padang, capital of West Sumatra prov

UN Gears Up Relief Operations for Asian-Pacific Disasters

UN Humanitarian Chief John Holmes says UN is deploying teams to help millions affected by tropical storms, earthquakes, tsunamis in Asi

Indonesian Earthquake Kills More Than 700

Officials say death toll from Wednesday's earthquake continues to rise, thousands remain trapped under collapsed buildings on island of

Survivor walks through ruins of Salebata village on south coast of Samoa, 30 Sep 2009

Pacific Island Nations Dig Out From Tsunami

Aid begins reaching islands devastated by powerful earthquake; death toll has surpassed 120

Death Toll Rises From Indonesia Earthquake

Western Indonesia was rattled by another severe earthquake a day after a quake trapped thousands of people under collapsed buildings

Fatalities Increase After Earthquakes in Samoa, Indonesia

Earthquake that struck off coast of Sumatra has killed at least 200 people, while number of dead from Tuesday's 8.0-magnitude earthquak

Powerful Earthquake Kills 75 in Indonesia, Traps Thousands

US Geological Survey says quake had magnitude of 7.9 and was centered 600 km northwest of Jakarta, shock waves were felt in neighboring

Tsunamis Devastate Pacific Islands

Officials say waves were triggered by powerful deep sea earthquake between Samoa and American Samoa; scores of people reported killed

Strong Quake Strikes Off Indonesia's Java Island

US reports 6.1 magnitude earthquake south of main island of Java Monday, following another earthquake last week that killed at least 64

Jakarta May Be Largely Protected From Indonesia's Deadly Quakes

Geologists say it is likely city will only ever feel effects of earthquakes with epicenters more than 100 miles away

Rescue Efforts Continue After Indonesia Earthquake

Rescuers recover several bodies from rubble of giant landslide, lifting death toll from this week's powerful Java earthquake to at leas

Indonesia Quake Death Toll Rises, Scores Still Missing

Officials say 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which struck Wednesday off Java island's coast, has killed at least 57 people

Earthquake Shakes Indonesia's Java Island

At least 33 dead; 7.0 magnitude quake struck in waters off main island of Java