The 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami killed more than 170 people in the Samoa Islands and Tonga . The M8 .1 submarine earthquake took place in the region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29 , 2009 ( 17:48:11 UTC , September 29 ) , followed by smaller aftershocks . It was the largest earthquake of 2009 . The quake occurred on the outer rise of the Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone . This is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , where tectonic plates in the Earth 's lithosphere meet and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
Samoan Islands