An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 in the Tonga Region yesterday was felt by some residents in American Samoa but no tsunami was generated, according to local and federal authorities.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred after 1:00 p.m. yesterday and was located about 145 miles southwest of Apia, Samoa. Center of the quake was closer (65 miles) to Hihifo, Tonga.

Carol Baqui with the National Weather Service in Tafuna says they received a lot of calls following the quake and had already made contact with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, which said that no tsunami warning was issued.

“The center says the quake was not strong enough to generate a tsunami,” said Baqui.

The local Department of Homeland Security said the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) also received calls from the community and no tsunami was generated. However, the EOC continues to be in contact with the Weather Service.

GOV REMINDS OWNERS TO REMOVE DAMAGED CARS AND BOATS

Gov. Togiola Tulafono said on his weekend radio program that the government will soon begin the removal of vessels and boats unless they are claimed by the owner.

He said these hazards are causing a health and safety threat to the general public.

The public was given until Jan. 29 to remove their property from government land, and most of the abandoned vehicles and boats are located in Pago Pago. Some of the vehicles were washed into the ocean by the tsunami.

On Jan. 27 the Procurement Office issued an invitation for bid for the ‘Removal of tsunami damaged and sunken boats from Pago Pago Harbor’ and bids close no later than 2:00 p.m. Feb. 10.

Sen. Mauga T. Asuega has called on the government to remove as soon as possible the many damaged vehicles and boats in his village of Pago Pago because of his concerns over health issues.

The Weather Service, first responder agencies and broadcast media, kept in touched with each other yesterday afternoon via two-way radio for any developments.

FEDS RELEASE NEW SEPT. 29 TSUNAMI REPORT

The U.S. Geological Survey released last week a new report called the “Limit of Inundation of the September 29, 2009 Tsunami on Tutuila, American Samoa”.

USGS says its scientists investigated the coastal impact of the tsunami in October and November of last year, including mapping the alongshore variation in the limit of inundation.

(Inundation is noted to be the rising of a body of water— especially floodwaters— and its overflowing onto normally dry land, according to www.thefreedictionary.com)

“Knowing the inundation limit is useful for planning safer coastal development and evacuation routes for future tsunamis and for improving models of tsunami hazards,” said USGS scientists.

According to USGS,  the report presents field data documenting the limit of inundation at 18 sites around Tutuila collected in the weeks following the tsunami using Differential GPS (DGPS).

In total, 15,703 points along inundation lines were mapped. The project was reported by USGS officials Bruce E. Jaffe, Guy Gelfenbaum, Mark Buckley, Steve Watt, Alex Apotsos, Andrew W. Stevens, and Bruce M. Richmond.

Although this report focuses on the measurement of the inundation limit, measurements of the wave heights, flow depths, sediment deposits, and other physical and ecological impacts were also recorded.

All the data collected will be used to improve the understanding of tsunamis in the Pacific and elsewhere in the world.

A complete copy of the report is found on: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1018/

FEDERAL SEARCH OF CHEHALIS WRECK

The U.S. Coast Guard will be conducting next month another diving operation for the wreckage of the vessel Chehalis, buried underwater in Pago Pago Harbor.

Diving operations are scheduled for Mar. 29 to April 17, according to a USCG notice, which proposed a temporary safety zone around the dive platform of the Pago harbor.

On Oct. 7, 1949, the 4,130-ton gasoline tanker Chehalis sank in Pago Pago inner harbor in an estimated 160 feet of water, about 350-feet from the fuel dock.

Today, the Chehalis wreck remains a potential pollution threat to the environment, the USCG says.