APIA, Samoa (AP) - The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake has struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa. A tsunami alert has been issued for the region.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.3 struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa around dawn Tuesday, sending terrified residents fleeing for higher ground as a tsunami ...

* 8.0 undersea quake triggers Pacific tsunami alert * Reports people swept out to sea * Villages flattened, search for bodies in sand (Updates with latest death toll, quotes, changes dateline) By ...

For factbox on tsunamis, click [nSYD504940] For graphic, click http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/RNGS/SEP/TSUNAM.jpg * Villages flattened, search for bodies in sand ...