A baby picture lies on the ground covered in mud Wednesday September 30, 2009 -- one of the belongings lost when a tsunami hit Leone, located on the western side of American Samoa. Photo by AP.
New Zealand diplomatic staff have concerns for a further two Kiwis who were staying at the Taufua Resort in Lalomanu when the tsunami hit on Wednesday, the New Zealand Herald website reported.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is still looking for 239 New Zealanders believed to have been in Samoa at the time of the tsunami. The Ministry has made contact with 619, 20 of whom have been hospitalised.
There are plans to evacuate some of the worst cases by Air Force plane, a spokesman from Mfat said.
A two-year-old Auckland boy has been confirmed as one of the three New Zealanders killed. The toddler was swept out to sea as he was playing on the beach with his parents at Lalomanu when the 6m wave came ashore on Wednesday. His parents swam to safety. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was providing support to the parents.
They were taken to hospital yesterday with minor injuries and later discharged and are staying at the New Zealand High Commission in Samoa.
The husband and wife, originally from Britain, now live in Auckland. The family was holidaying at a resort near the village of Lalomanu. Tsunami warnings were given and they were trying to escape to higher ground when the waves struck.
Raglan's Mary Ann White, 55, is the only New Zealander who died to be named so far. Another New Zealander is missing.
Mfat said it was unable to release more information about the other New Zealanders killed without permission from their families.
Meanwhile Members of Parliament are working alongside members of the public as a huge international relief effort gets under way in Samoa and Tonga. Acting Prime Minister Bill English today said New Zealand was ready to assist Tonga but is yet to receive a request for aid in dealing with the tsunami disaster.
Speaking to Radio New Zealand, Mr English said Tonga would get part of the $1 million initial allocation of money to deal with the aftermath, but was "reasonably self-sufficient" in recovering from the disaster.
New Zealand, which had air force Orion and Hercules aircraft in the islands yesterday, is sending two more military aircraft today. An air force Boeing 757 is carrying medical evacuation and search and rescue teams, while a Hercules will carry a light operational vehicle and a desalination plant to ensure fresh water supplies.
Mr English said Foreign Minister Murray McCully would be on one of the flights and would talk directly to Samoan government officials about what further aid was needed.
Prime Minister John Key, who is returning early from a holiday in the US, will fly to Samoa tomorrow.
How you can help:
Pacific Cooperation Foundation Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office ANZ bank Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00 Oxfam
- Make a secure online donation at oxfam.org.nz - Phone 0800 400 666 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 600 20
