**A powerful earthquake has struck near the Samoa islands, triggering a potentially destructive tsunami along the coasts of several Pacific nations.**The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) upgraded the quake to magnitude 8.3 from 7.9 earlier recorded by the US Geological Survey.
The quake hit at 1748 GMT at a depth of 33km (20.5 miles) some 190km south-west of Apia on the island of Samoa.
PTWC says sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated in the Pacific.
It says the tsunami “may have been destructive” along coasts near the earthquake epicentre.
A tsunami warning has been issued for the Samoa islands, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
The Samoa islands comprise two separate entities - the nation of Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory - with a total population of about 250,000 people.
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