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A fresh tsunami warning Wednesday caused panic in Samoa little more than a week after a tsunami devastated the South Pacific nation, killing at least 143 people.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert warning after a 7.8 magnitude quake struck off Vanuatu at 9:03 am (2203 GMT Wednesday), followed by two more huge quakes.
It forced residents across the region to flee to higher ground.
The warning triggered panic in Samoa where residents again fled from the ocean, causing traffic jams in populated areas, witnesses and reports said.
The tsunami on September 29 following an 8.0 magnitude earthquake has left a confirmed 143 people dead and six missing in Samoa, government officials said Wednesday.
At least 32 people were also killed in neighbouring American Samoa and nine in the north of Tonga.
