Situation as at 1300 on 9 October
Samoa
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The official death toll is 138 with 6 missing.
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Today is a national day of mourning in Samoa. A national
memorial service organised by the National Council of Churches will be
held at 3pm at Apia Park Stadium. The service is expected to take an
hour. Names of those who died will be read out, as well as the
governments who assisted. A number of NZHC staff will be attending the
memorial service.
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After the service there will be a procession to the burial grounds.
Only family members and close family friends are expected to participate
in the procession. We understand 12 families with deceased will be
involved in the burial.
Assistance / New Zealand Action
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NZ Navy divers continue to work with field engineers to replace
the sub-marine water main to Namu’a Island. They will then assess the
structural integrity of the wharf in Apia and conduct a reef search before
returning to New Zealand.
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NZ medical personnel working in clinics on the south coast of
Upolu continue to see up to 100 patients per day.
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HMNZS Canterbury is scheduled to depart from Devonport on
Saturday 10 October (an announcement by the government is expected
today). It will travel via Nuku’alofa and Niuatoputapu to Samoa, and is
estimated to arrive in Apia around Saturday 17 October (Samoa time),
though it may take longer.
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The load priority for the Canterbury has been determined by
requests from the Government of Samoa, and (pending confirmation from
NZDF) will include water pipes, 51 telephone poles and possibly poles for
fale construction.
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The Canterbury will also be carrying 11 containers of donated
goods collected by Samoan community groups in New Zealand.
Transport of the containers and distribution of goods in Samoa has been
organised.
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Applications for funding under the NZ$600,000 Humanitarian
Action Fund (HAF) have been processed and the decision-making
process is almost complete. All successful NGOs are expected to have
been notified today so they can begin work on their projects immediately.
Projects are up to 6 months in duration.
Tonga
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The official death toll remains at nine, with seven seriously
injured.
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The Government of Tonga is concerned with the early-warning
system and is seeking to improve the system for future action.
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The Government of Tonga is putting together a recovery plan,
which is expected to be drafted early next week.
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The French boat the Revi is due to arrive in Niuatoputapu at
2300hrs tonight. It is transporting food, clothing, washing items, fuel and
other non-food supplies. Once it has unloaded the Revi will concluded its
relief efforts and will return to French Polynesia.
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The NZ Red Cross’ desalination plant will be sent up to
Nuku’alofa, along with an engineer, tomorrow on a commercial flight.
Although access to potable water has been restored on Niuatoputapu,
there is still a possibility that ingress of seawater may contaminate these
sources.
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HMNZS Canterbury will transport to Nuku’alofa 15 pallets of
supplies donated by Tongan community groups in New Zealand. There it
will pick up supplies for Niuatoputapu. NZDF is exploring how else to
assist in recovery operations on Niuatoputapu during its stopover there.
Contacts
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New Zealanders concerned about family members in Samoa should try
to make contact with them in the first instance. Those with ongoing concerns
may call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 04 439 8000, with as many
contact details as possible.
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Offers of assistance should be referred to +64 4 439 8104 or +64
4 439 8618.
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Additional information, including the latest travel advice for
Samoa, is available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's
safe travel website: www.safetravel.govt.nz