-
Source: ONE News -
Watch Video
-
Related
Drop-off points for donations to help those hit by last week's Pacific tsunami are being inundated around the country.
People have been so generous that organisers are struggling to find storage for it all.
New Zealand's Samoan community is doing all it can to help friends and family back home.
In Christchurch they're using the community radio station to put the word out and have so far raised $20,000.
"We are also real community people and it doesn't matter whether it happens to our relatives or not, we are part of that community," says Tagaloa Su'a, the Christchurch relief co-ordinator.
Reverend Masele Tulai from Invercargill's Samoan Methodist Church has more reason than most to lend a hand. He lost 14 relatives in Samoa, and five are still missing.
"It's devastating. Being away, far away in Invercargill all my heart is in Samoa. I want to help,' he says.
One West Auckland drop-off point was so overwhelmed by donations they had to call in extra help, including actor Keisha Castle-Hughes.
"My first instinct was to jump on a plane, but I wasn't going to help over there at all. So, from here I can help," she says.
It's not just clothes and food, the push is on for building materials as well as volunteers.
The Ministry of Health says more than 430 doctors and nurses from all over New Zealand have volunteered.
It is taking names and co-ordinating with the Samoan authorities.
Full details on how you can donate to the tsunami relief operation are available here
Latest NZ News Video
-
ONE News Minute 9am update: May 26 (1:00)
-
Kids cough up $14m for Government (1:50)
-
Education ministry 'barbaric' (1:55)
