NZ to send relief mission to Samoa

September 30, 2009 12:34:31 PM

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New Zealand is to send an Air Force Orion plane to Samoa to help in the search for survivors and assess damage following the devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said Wednesday.

At least 28 people have been reported killed and entire villages wiped out after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck near Samoa in the South Pacific, triggering tsunamis.

New Zealand was waiting to see how badly other Pacific nations were hit before the Orion departed, McCully said.

"New Zealand's diplomatic missions throughout the Pacific are in contact with local authorities to gather as much information as possible on the situation and how New Zealand may be able to assist.

"Information is still coming to hand, but there are early reports of casualties in Samoa, as well as significant damage to many villages."

A spokesman for the minister said Tonga was hit by four-metre waves which caused damage, there were "bigger than usual" waves in the Cook Islands and people in Tokelau were moving to higher ground.

Niue was reasonably safe because it was high although there was concern for people out on the water, he said.

Fiji reported large waves but no damage, while neither Vanuatu, Kiribati, New Caledonia nor the Solomon Islands had reported high waves.