Obama declares major disaster for tsunami-ravaged American Samoa, promises aggressive response

Obama declares major disaster for American Samoa

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says his deepest sympathies are with the people of American Samoa and Samoa who lost loved ones after an earthquake sent a massive tsunami toward the Pacific islands.

Obama has declared a major disaster for American Samoa and says the Federal Emergency Management Agency is working with emergency responders in the region. Such a declaration permits the U.S. to provide the support needed for a swift and aggressive response.

Obama says the U.S. stands ready to helps its friends in neighboring Samoa and throughout the region, where scores of people have perished. The president commented before an appearance Wednesday at the National Institutes of Health.