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In the hills above the stricken south coast of Samoa, 49 people are huddled under one tarpaulin.
They are among thousands who have set up camp inland, afraid or unable to go home.
Scattered in makeshift settlements along remote gravel roads, most are scared to even descend to seek medical
treatment for colds, cuts and bruises.
Instead, they wait, leaving untreated wounds that are at risk of infection and blood poisoning that could result in death.
New Zealand Defence Force troops are taking medicine, food and shelter into the hills.
Kilisi Tuiuli and 48 others from his tiny village of Utufaalafa are living high in the bush-clad hills.
Mr Tuiuli's relatives, and five other families living in one of the rough camps, have only two pots in which to cook the limited amount of rice and fish they have, and hardly any dishes to share around the hungry mouths.
They are cooking on an open fire which they ignited by rubbing flint rocks together.
A small boy comes back to the camp carrying a pile of wood bigger than him, that he has chopped for the fire.
Aid agencies have visited, leaving a portable toilet - about 1km down the road.
It is more than 3km down to the coast and the men walk back and forth bringing supplies and looking through the rubble of their former homes, salvaging anything they can find.
Everyone in the group is still wearing the clothes they had on when they fled the tsunami, or donated clothes left at the local Mormon church.
Mr Tuiuli, 28, whose home is in Wanganui with his Kiwi wife and four children, came back to Samoa a month ago to attend his father's funeral and help his mother, who has 10 children, ranging in age from seven to 32 eight of them still living at home.
His 51-year-old mother, Elisa Tuiuli, was in bed with the flu when the earthquake struck. She leapt out of bed, gathered her children and ran for higher ground, fearing a tsunami would follow.
But at least eight of her extended family members, including a family of five - Kelaise Kalasine, her husband Sio Pati and their three young children - perished.
Mr Tuiuli's wife, Michelle Apatu, will arrive in Samoa next week with their children, bringing a three bedroom tent and possibly other supplies to help the family.
The Tuiulis' house survived the tsunami, but Mr Tuiuli said the family probably would not return for at least two months while bodies were being pulled from the wreckage.
Some villagers in the camp say they will never return to their land on the waterfront as they are afraid another tsunami will hit.
More than 20 Army engineers and medics are camped in Lalomanu, the hardest hit resort, where the Air Force is dropping supplies by helicopter.
But people from the nearby villages of Saleapaga and Lepa have also fled to the high ground and have started building new homes in bush clearings.
Three Defence Force teams were sent from Lalomanu base yesterday to distribute aid and support Australian medical crews.
As soon as other areas in need of urgent aid are identified, the New Zealand medics will go out by themselves.
Although the wait is frustrating, Lieutenant Neil Corlett said he expected New Zealand crews would be able to administer medical treatment today.
"At this stage, it's difficult to know what areas have already received medical support and who needs it.
"We really have to find out exactly where the need is. I'd say we'd be into it [today]."
Yesterday, Mr Corlett was busy distributing food, water, shelter and other medical supplies with local doctor Esmay Ah Leong Seuala and the Australian medics led by Dr Michael Novy.
Many people suffering from chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, had their medicine washed away.
Infections from untreated wounds were also common and life threatening, said Dr Novy.
"People are so busy trying to rebuild their lives, and getting on with it, they're ignoring their own health."
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
