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A destroyed structure is seen in the village of Leone, American Samoa - Source: Reuters -
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Rescuers pulled bodies from the mud and twisted rubble and fished bloated corpses from the South Pacifc off Samoa on Wednesday as the death toll from a series of tsunamis climbed further.
A spotter aircraft circled the ocean looking for bodies, dropping smoke flares to pinpoint their location for a boat to collect. Within an hour five were hauled ashore and the aircraft proceeded with its gruesome search.
The death toll stood at around 150, but officials said it was rising, with hundreds missing.
Around 110 people have been killed on the western side of Samoa, with no clear picture of how many were still unaccounted for.
Togiola Tulafono, governor of American Samoa, said at least 27 people were killed there and 50 injured, with the southern portion of the main island of Tutuila "devastated." The toll may rise as rescuers search buildings, including a seniors' center.
Some 20 villages were destroyed in Samoa and scores flattened in nearby American Samoa.
"We've seen pick-up trucks carrying the dead ... back to town," said New Zealand tourist Fotu Becerra. "We were shocked when we saw the first one but after three hours, it seemed normal."
Four powerful tsunamis generated by a huge undersea quake crashed into Samoa and American Samoa on Tuesday, destroying in minutes a paradise of palm trees, resorts and pristine beaches.
"After the earthquake happened, after about five minutes all you could hear was screaming," an unidentified Australian holidaymaker told local media.
The waves, at least 6 metres (20 feet) high, ripped buildings apart and washed people out to sea, some still sleeping in their beds, survivors said. One mother watched in horror as her three children playing in the sand were swept away. Many died after being crushed by debris swirling in the floodwaters.
Two refrigerated shipping containers, on grass behind the main hospital in the Samoan capital Apia, served as makeshift morgues after the hospital morgue could accept no more corpses.
Along the southern coast of Samoa's main island Upolu, which bore the brunt of the tsunamis, palm trees had nearly all been flattened, snapped like twigs by the force of the ocean.
A layer of mud and sand covered many shattered buildings and boats and cars hung from trees, as survivors scavenged the debris. Survivors said people were collecting dead fish, washed ashore by the waves, to feed their families.
US President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in American Samoa and ordered federal aid to help the recovery.
A New Zealand Orion and Hercules are in Samoa to help with search and rescue efforts, while two US C-130 transport planes have arrived in American Samoa on Thursday as part of an air bridge to bring in relief workers and supplies.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) has confirmed three New Zealanders are dead, 16 injured and 200 unaccounted for.
"We have more bodies that are being found in the wreckage and being excavated and being brought to the hospital so we expect that the death toll will rise," said Dr David Bouslough at the main hospital in Pago Pago, capital of American Samoa.
Buildings vanish
Pago Pago resident Joey Cummings said buildings were not just destroyed, but had vanished, washed away by the waves.
"The harbour area where the radio station was looks like a bomb went off," Cummings told US television. "If your building was not made of concrete it doesn't exist any more."
Reuters photographer Hugh Gentry said Pago Pago looked "like a war zone". "The most tragic (scene) was the discovery of a small girl found floating in the harbour," he said.
The waves hit early in the morning, almost without warning, leaving many villagers little chance to outrun waters surging 200 metres (650 feet) inland.
In the mountains behind the beaches men banged gas cylinders, like the church bells that call this deeply religious island to church on Sunday, to warn of the danger approaching. Police drove along roads calling residents to go to higher ground.
"Some, they have no place (to run), especially kids and the oldest, they lost their lives," Tua Taleu, who fled to higher ground as waves swallowed his village, told Australian radio.
Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said it was fortunate that the tsunami struck in daylight. "If it had come in the dark and the tide was high, the number of people who died would be much higher," he said.
The undersea 8 magnitude quake created small tsunamis which reached Hawaii, the coast of California and Japan within hours.
Radio New Zealand, quoting disaster authorities, said 32,000 people had been affected, with 3,000 homeless.
"The devastation is frightening. Every family has been affected. One of my staff members has lost 13 members of her family," said Adimaimalaga Tafunai, director of Women in Business Development Inc (WIBDI) in Apia.
Authorities in the neighbouring island nation of Tonga confirmed nine dead and officials feared whole towns on outlying islands had been destroyed. The two Samoas and Tonga have a combined population of about 400,000 people and rely on subsistence agriculture, fishing and tourism.
The worst tsunami on record in the Indian Ocean tsunami on Dec
26, 2004 killed about 230,000 people in 11 countries.
Anyone worried about the safety of non-New Zealand relatives in Samoa should contact the Samoan High Commission on 04 472 0953.
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Post new commentjaxlino said on 2009-10-07 @ 14:15 NZDT: Report abusive post
anyone from the Satitoa village?
markservian said on 2009-10-05 @ 21:05 NZDT: Report abusive post
Tai Taufua is interviewed in this story... http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/church-comforts-many-in-samoa-3048401/video
Liviyj12 said on 2009-10-05 @ 19:30 NZDT: Report abusive post
i feel sorry fot those who have been affected.... i also feel sorry for Vai. he has lost so much of his family..:(
Micksta said on 2009-10-05 @ 11:16 NZDT: Report abusive post
My heart goes out to everyone who has lost family member/s in the earthquake and tsunami. I know what it would be like, as I was in Samoa as the earthquake struck and I read and saw the devastating effects of the tsunami that followed, both in newspapers and also for real. I would like to say that Nuu Black Sand Beach was hit my the tsunami and is in a bad state (Not that much of an attraction now).
PurpleOlive said on 2009-10-05 @ 09:04 NZDT: Report abusive post
I am so sad for all who have lost family members. We are humbled by how quickly lives can be lost. Our hearts go out to each and every one of you and I cry tears for your sweet babies. Your pain is shared by our thoughts and may you find the strength within yourselves to carry on, xox