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APIA, Samoa - Police in green reflective vests today searched a ghastly landscape of mud-strewn streets, pulverized homes for bodies after the tsunami that killed at least 119.
Military transports flew medical personnel, food, water and medicine to the islands of Samoa and American Samoa, which were devastated by the
wall of water triggered by yesterday's undersea earthquake.
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FACT BOX
Death toll: 121
Samoa: 85
American Samoa: 27
Tonga: 9
**Upolu: 70 villages of 300-800 people destroyed
**American Samoa: 2200 people in seven shelters across the island
**Red Cross estimate 15,000 affected by tsunami
**Damage caused by four 25 foot waves
**Three Australians confirmed dead, six missing
**Two New Zealanders confirmed dead, one missing
One cargo plane from New Zealand brought in a temporary morgue and a body identification team - with officials expecting the death toll to rise as more areas are searched.
Ben Matalavea from the main hospital in Apia told Radio New Zealand that medical facilities were under pressure, with a shortage of medical staff to treat the injured.
Dr Matalavea says blood banks are also running low and many of the victims are expected to need surgery.
Cars and boats - many battered and upside down - littered the coastline. Debris as small as a spoon and as large as piece of masonry weighing several tons were strewn in the mud.
A correspondent in Samoa says local TV carried full coverage last night on the devastated villages on the south side of Upolu, concentrating on the villages of Aleipata, Falealili and Siumu.
"The TV cameras have captured the full extent to which the famous Beach Fales at Lepa, Siufaga and Lalomanu have been completely flattened. The popular Lalomanu Beach Fales cannot be seen. The well known resorts of Salani Surf, Coconuts Beach and Sinalei have been extensively damaged and will take time to become fully operational again."
Hampered by power and communications outages, officials have been struggling to determine casualties and damage.
Samoa National Disaster Management committee member Filomina Nelson told Radio New Zealand the number of dead in her country had reached 83 - mostly elderly and young children.
At least 30 people were killed on American Samoa, Governor Togiola Tulafono said.
Authorities in Tonga, southwest of the Samoas, confirmed at least six dead and four missing, according to acting New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English.
Mr English said the temporary morgue and the body identification team were sent to Samoa after local officials expressed concern "about the growing death toll."
Hundreds of people bombarded American Samoa's radio stations with requests to announce the names of their missing loved ones. Broadcasters urged listeners to contact their families immediately.
"So much has gone. So many people are gone," said a visibly shaken Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi as he flew from New Zealand to Apia. "I'm so shocked, so saddened by all the loss."
He said his village of Lepa was destroyed. Although the alarm sounded on the radio and gave people time to get to higher ground, "not everyone escaped," he added.
Before boarding the C-130 with the FEMA officials in Hawaii, Tulafono said "each and every family" in American Samoa will know one of the dead.
-AP and NZHERALD STAFF
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
