A New Zealand medical team will today begin operating on those injured during the quake and tsunami that hit Samoa last week.
Nine of the team's members -- two surgeons, two anaesthetists, three theatre nurses and two recovery nurses -- are from Waikato hospital. A further two doctors and two nurses, all Samoan speakers, came from other hospitals around New Zealand.
The team arrived in Apia yesterday and would today face a full theatre schedule, with lots of broken bones and lacerations, theatre nurse Debbie Ratima said. More patients could also be coming down from the hills in coming days, she said.
The confirmed death toll for the Samoa, which bore the brunt of last Wednesday's tsunami, was 135, with eight people still missing.
The tsunami also claimed nine lives in Tonga and 32 in American Samoa, with four still missing there.
Five New Zealanders are confirmed dead; South Auckland grandmother Tauaavaga Tupuola, 84, and Raglan woman Mary Anne White, another adult and two children.
"Grave concerns" are held for Matamata sisters Petria and Rebecca Martin, who were staying at Taufua Lodge resort in Lalomanu, the worst-hit area.
Two-year-old Alphie Cunliffe, whose British parents had moved to New Zealand, was also missing and presumed dead.
The British High Commission issued a statement on behalf of his parents, Gary and Jill Cunliffe, asking that they be allowed to mourn in private.
A planned mass burial for Samoans killed in the tragedy will take place on Thursday (Friday NZT), two days later than originally suggested by the government to give overseas-based relatives of the dead time to return.
A revised government estimate put damage to infrastructure, public and private properties at 380 million Samoa Tala ($NZ181.93million).
Oxfam aid worker Janna Hamilton said staff from local organisations and international aid agencies were looking for people still hiding in jungle-clad higher ground after fleeing the south-facing beaches, where the tsunami hit.
"There are still a lot of people who are pretty shell-shocked."
Oxfam's major current concern was making fresh water available to the communities -- though the clean-up was still under way, reconstruction was already in its early stages, she said.
"A lot of people we've talked to don't want to rebuild their old houses were they were -- they want to put them on higher ground." A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said it was still trying to contact 50 New Zealanders who could have been in Samoa during the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
He urged anyone who had heard from loved ones to call 0800 432 111.
A New Zealand Air Force Boeing 757 landed in Apia yesterday, carrying medical and food supplies and police dog search teams, as well as the medical team.
HMNZS Canterbury was expected to sail from New Zealand on Tuesday with more aid and equipment.
