Strong Quake Hits Near Samoa

A strong earthquake shook buildings and caused some minor damage in a sparsely populated area of the south Pacific near Samoa early Saturday.

The undersea quake struck with a preliminary magnitude of 7.8 at approximately 3 p.m. PDT, Japan’s Central Meteorological Agency said.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colo., said the the quake struck about 150 miles southwest of Apia, Western Samoa.

The American Samoa capital, Pago Pago, 135 miles from the quake epicenter, sustained minor damage, said Mark Kneubuhl, editor of the Samoa News.