WASHINGTON, September 30 (RIA Novosti) - Dozens of people have been killed by an 8.3-magnitude tsunami that hit the remote Pacific islands of American and Western Samoa, officials said on Wednesday.

The quake struck early in the morning around 120 miles (190 kilometers) from American Samoa, a U.S. territory. U.S. President Barack Obama has declared the territory a major disaster area and ordered urgent support for rescue efforts.

AFP said at least 22 people have been confirmed dead in American Samoa, while Reuters said the total death toll on the two island nations could be over 100.

Local radio in Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa, said five consecutive waves with the height of at least five meters (16.4 feet) hit the island destroying houses and cars, but that most residents managed to escape to higher ground.

The South Pacific is well known for its high seismic activity, registering 6,000-7,000 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or above annually.

Two earthquakes, each measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, struck off Bali and North Maluku on September 19, injuring at least seven people and sending many others fleeing their homes in panic.

A 7.9-magnitude tremor in March caused a tsunami, which hit the Tonga archipelago. No deaths or severe damage was reported.

The most devastating tragedy occurred in December 2004, when an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia triggered a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people across Asia.