Television pictures showed buildings ripped apart and villages flattened in many areas.

The Samoan prime minister said he was shocked by the devastation in his country. Many countries as well as the EU have announced that they are sending emergency aid for the victims.

A tsunami alert was issued after the earthquake and was later lifted. However the high death toll on the islands has raised questions about the effectiveness of the alert. Some say the warning came so late that the residents couldn’t respond to it.

A tsunami warning was also issued and later cancelled in Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Thailand as well after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Wednesday.

At least 75 people have been killed on the island. Local authorities say the death toll could rise, as thousands are still trapped in the rubble.