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05.01pm - A group of medical staff will leave New Zealand tonight for Samoa, where they will provide surgical support on the ground.
The team includes two anaesthetists, an orthopaedic surgeon and five theatre nurses from Waikato Hospital, NZPA reported.
The group will be led by the World
Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and the New Zealand SPCA.
Health Minister Tony Ryall yesterday called for medical professionals to volunteer after a request from the Samoan government.
04.02pm - There has been no immediate tsunami alert as a result of the 6.3 magnitude quake near Tonga this afternoon.
03.59pm - The South Pacific has been rocked by another earthquake.
GNS has reported a 6.3 magnitude quake, 85 kilometres southeast off Hihifo in Tonga at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Seismologist Bill Fry says it is most likely an aftershock from Wednesday's jolt. He says it is unlikely to have been too damaging.
Mr Fry says a tremor of this size is not unusual for an aftershock.
02.31pm - Three New Zealanders have now been confirmed dead and another is missing, presumed dead.
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 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, twenty of whom have been hospitalised.
There are plans to evacuate some of the worst cases by Air Force plane, a spokesman from Mfat said.
2:20pm - Two anaesthetists, an orthopaedic surgeon and five theatre nurses from Waikato Hospital will fly to Samoa to help the tsunami and quake stricken island nation.
Theatre nurse Debbie Ratima, also a clinical nurse educator, said she volunteered because she wanted to help those in Samoa who do not have a lot now and need their help.
"It's the devastation they're going to face and the lack of resources and we just want to know how we can get up there and help them," Mrs Ratima said.
"We'll initially go through a process of triaging and then we'll get stuck in. There will be horrific injuries I'm sure. The team from Waikato going are very experienced. We're ready to do anything. We all know each other and we've all worked together," she said.
Mrs Ratima said the team were trying to prepare themselves for the situation on the ground.
"We don't really know what we're going to face. I'm a mother, I can't imagine the devastation. These people need our help and so that's something you prepare yourself for and get stuck in and help."
01:00pm - A two-year-old Auckland boy has been confirmed as one of three New Zealanders killed in the Samoan tsunami.
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, reports NZPA.
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.
10.54am - Over 200 Kiwis are still missing in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged island nation of Samoa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has so far located 593 New Zealanders but are still looking for 231 who are believed to have been in Samoa at the time the earthquake struck.
Up to 19 New Zealanders have been hospitalised with injuries caused by the quake and tsunami. Some have now been discharged.
MFAT have also set up a new phone number for New Zealand families to report missing people. The number is 0800 432 111.
10:50am - The National Disaster Council says the preliminary cost of infrastructure damage following Wednesday's devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami has been estimated at more than NZ$52.6 million.
"The preliminary cost of infrastructural damage alone is estimated at around 96.9 million Samoan Tala (NZ$52.6 million) but expected to escalate, the Council said in a statement to AFP.
"Damages were mainly to resorts, family homes and community buildings, roads, power lines and water supply located along the coastline of the affected areas. In other areas, villages were completely destroyed."
09:41am - New Zealand is ready to assist Tonga but is yet to receive a request for aid in dealing with the tsunami disaster, Acting Prime Minister Bill English said today.
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.
The death toll has risen to around 150 in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga, with three New Zealanders among the total. Hundreds are unaccounted for, some washed out to sea.
09:00am - President Barack Obama is voicing his concern and his condolences over the tsunami in the South Pacific and the earthquake in Indonesia. Read more
08:34am - More New Zealanders than previously thought were in Samoa when Wednesday's tsunami struck. The previous figure was 200 but it is now estimated that 700 were on the group of islands, reports News Talk ZB.
Acting Prime Minister Bill English says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to hear from some 200 of those people.
He says officials will keep trying to locate them. He says the good news is that as the days go by, the numbers of New Zealanders accounted for has risen and they have all been safe and well. He believes that indicates that those still not accounted for are also probably safe.
08:20am - New Zealanders have donated more than $350,00 to help victims in Samoa, Tonga and American Samoa hit by Wednesday morning's devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami, aid agencies report.
Those agencies include:
* The New Zealand Red Cross' Samoa tsunami relief project;
* Oxfam NZ's rapid response emergency fund (0800 400 666, or automatic $20 donations on 0900 600 20);
* The Pacific Cooperation Foundation tsunami relief fund (deposits at any Westpac branch);
* ANZ Banking Group appeal to assist families in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga (ANZ branches, or directly to ANZ Samoa Appeal Fund account number 01 1839 0143546 00, with all proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross) ;
* Unicef NZ, or 0800 800 194);
* The Salvation Army or 0800 530 000);
* World Vision NZ appeal (0800 800 776);
* Mercury Energy (customers can text "Samoa" followed by a dollar amount, their first name and their customer account number to 515);
* Caritas Aotearoa appeal (or 0800 221 022);
* Advent Development and Relief Agency NZ (0800 4999 111);
* Rotary NZ appeal (Westpac, account number: 03 1702 0192208 02);
* Pacific Cooperation Foundation (Westpac, account number: 03 0539 0234978 01);
* Telstra Clear (donating the value of phone calls made to Samoa by customers over the last 48 hours to the Red Cross).
08:00am - Radio New Zealand reports that large numbers of Kiwi medical staff are volunteering to help with the relief effort currently underway in Samoa and Tonaga.
A team of surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists and other health staff is due to leave for Samona on Saturday.
Ron Dunham, chief operating officer at the Counties Manukau District Health Board, whop is co-ordinating the relief project, says: "What we've got to do is try and match their expertise in the need in Samoa and Tonga at this particular time.
"We're also very aware that we need to take a very sustainable approach to this otherwise we could use up our resources quite quickly."
07:57am - An Auckland 2-year-old is presumed dead after being swept from his parents in the Samoa tsunami.
The family were on a beach near the village of Lalomanu when the 6m wave struck, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported late last night.
07-56am - Members of Parliament are working alongside members of the public as a huge international relief effort gets under way in Samoa and Tonga. Read more
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
