The 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake that hit Saturday night has caused sea surges of over 2 metres in several Pacific Islands, notably Tahiti in French Polynesia. However, no damage has been reported yet.
The waves are expected to hit the Samoan islands at about 8 am and around 6 am, evacuation processes have been put in place, reports said. Over 180 people died in a tsunami on September 30 last year on the southern coast of the main island of Upolu and the country is in the process of rebuilding. The Samoan police said most people were moved out of low-lying areas.
The Fijian authorities have already evacuated coastal areas and the country has been placed on an alert for waves of between 0.6 - 2.3 metres on the northern and eastern islands where the surg is expected to reach at 9:20 am local time Sunday.
Evacuations had taken place on Vanua Levu, and in the Lau and Lomaiviti groups.
About a third of Fiji's 800,000 people live in those areas, Blake said.
In Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, broadcasts, texts and sirens have alerted people to move inland to high ground and away from the coast.
While the police department in the capital, Avarua on the main island of Rarotonga, said coastal evacuations had proceeded smoothly, they expressed worries about a high tide on Rarotonga's coastline could push the tsunami wave further inland.