IAEM Oceania

Source: NZ Government

$1million to Samoa, Tonga for emergency relief

New Zealand is providing an initial $1million donation for immediate disaster relief efforts in Samoa and Tonga, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today.

"This initial contribution will help the governments of Samoa and Tonga to provide essential supplies and personnel to help those in need following the earthquake and tsunami," Mr McCully said.

It is good to see Telecom also taking measures to ensure that the offer won't overload telecommunication systems - which may be under load in the affected countries due to damage and increased traffic.

TELECOM SUPPORT FOLLOWING DISASTERS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

1 October 2009

Telecom customers will not be charged for home phone calls to Samoa from midnight Tuesday until midnight Friday 2 October. Calls to Tonga will also not be charged from midnight Wednesday to midnight Friday.

Source: Radio NZ Online

Samoa's disaster management office says more than 32,000 people have been affected in some way by the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that struck in the South Pacific on Wednesday.

The office puts the confirmed death at 83, though it expects that will rise. In neighbouring American Samoa 24 people have perished and seven people died in Tonga in the aftermath of the 8.0 magnitude quake.

Reports from various international aid agencies are available from this page on ReliefWeb.

The second Situation Report from OCHA is now publicly available. It was released at 2009-09-30 2000 Fiji time. The key details have been quoted below. A pdf is available for download.

Highlights/Key Priorities

• Death toll in Western Samoa has risen to 62 and is expected to rise
• Northern Tonga also affected with 6 confirmed dead. A State of Emergency has been declared for Niuatoputapu

Source: Radio NZ news 1635 NZDT

Tonga is now reporting 10 fatalities.

Source:
Killer tsunami reaches Tonga, deaths reported by ABCNews

The Tongan government says it has reports of 10 deaths on the island of Niuatoputatu, which borders Samoa, after this morning's earthquake and tsunami.

The first Situation Report from OCHA is now publicly available. It was released at 2009-09-30 1130 Fiji time. The key details have been quoted below. A pdf is available for download.

Highlights/Key Priorities

An earthquake of magnitude 8.3 and depth 33 kms struck in the Samoa Islands Region, coordinates 15.3 SOUTH, 171.0 WEST at approximately 1748 GMT 29 SEP (5.48 am 30 Sept Fiji time).

This earthquake did generate a Tsunami. Forecast heights were between .7 and 1.57m.

Source: New Zealand Government

NZ ready to assist after Samoan earthquake, tsunami

New Zealand stands ready to assist Samoa and the wider Pacific region following the earthquake this morning and reports of a tsunami, Foreign Minister Murray 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," Mr McCully said.

Source: TVNZ

Attention turns to aid for Samoa

New Zealand stands ready to assist Samoa and the wider Pacific region following the earthquake on Wednesday morning and reports of a tsunami, Foreign Minister Murray McCully says.

The Air Force has confirmed it is sending a P-3 Orion to the areas affected by the quake and tsunami.

A spokesman says the Orion is to conduct a reconnaissance mission surveying Samoa as well as the northern area of the Tongan island group.