Towering tsunamis churned up by a huge earthquake slammed into the Samoan islands, killing hundreds of people as they wiped out entire villages and flattened tourist resorts.<br/><br/>Monster waves that witnesses and officials said measured<br/>between three and 7.5 meters high pounded the remote Pacific<br/>islands of Samoa and Western Samoa after an 8.0-magnitude<br/>undersea quake struck.<br/><br/>While the quake toppled buildings and sent thousands fleeing to high ground as the tsunami approached, many others were hit by the walls of water that swept people and cars out to sea and obliterated coastal settlements.<br/><br/>US President Barack Obama called the incident in the outlying US territory of American Samoa a major disaster and vowed aggressive action to help survivors. Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said he was shocked beyond belief.<br/><br/>The death toll in Samoan tsunami disaster has increased to 144. According to disaster management officials, at least 110 people died in the Tsunamis in Samoa .<br/><br/>They said a search and rescue operation is underway right now to recover those who are still under the rubble or in the sea. A further 27 people are confirmed dead in neighbouring American Samoa, while seven people were killed in Tonga by Tsunamis triggered by massive 8.0-magnitude earthquake .<br/>