http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=130842
Missing feared dead
Harold Koi
Monday, October 05, 2009
SAMOAN authorities fear the missing are dead but have vowed to continue their search
and rescue operations.
Speaking from the command centre at Lolomanu Village in Samoa yesterday, the
Commander of Operations, Senior Inspector Seaga Willie Lafaele, said they discovered
more dead bodies stuck between debris yesterday along the coast.
Inspector Lafaele said Lolomanu Village on Upolu Island was one of the worse villages
affected and the community health centre was also torn to pieces. He said he could not
disclose how many people were missing at this stage but reserved comment until after the
operations.
Inspector Lafaele said they feared the worse for those missing which included women and
children.
He said the Australia and the New Zealand Navy have been in Samoa since Tuesday to
help.
"Local heavy machines companies have also jumped in with their bulldozers and tractors
to help search and rescue teams," Mr Lafaele said.
"The tsunami destroyed transmission lines and Lolomanu is without water and electricity.
"We have to fetch water from villages that were unaffected.
"The only hospital at Lolomanu has been destroyed and we have set up a temporary
hospital," he said.
The worse areas affected were Aleipata and Falealili districts.
Agence France-Presse reports officials confirmed the death toll from the devastating
tsunami that crashed into the Samoa islands and Tonga has risen to 170 with at least 10
people unaccounted for.
There were 129 dead in Samoa, 32 in American Samoa and nine people killed in Tonga.
A magnitude 8.3 earthquake just before 7am on Wednesday (Fiji time) triggered waves
which, according to survivors, rose nine metres (30feet) as they pounded coastal
settlements.
The 10 missing in Samoa are feared to have died, which would raise the overall toll to 180.
