Families urged to tell Red Cross if NZers get in touch

By Helen Tunnah

New Zealanders are being urged to ring the Red Cross helpline if they hear from friends and family in tsunami devastated regions as fears increase for the scores still missing.

More than 100 New Zealanders known to be in the worst affected regions, particularly in Thailand, remain unaccounted for.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said officials trying to trace lost New Zealanders were anxious to hear if a person had been able to contact people at home to say they were safe.

He told the Herald New Zealanders were being found in hotels in resort areas, particularly on Thailand's west coast, which had not been badly affected.

But some had not told anyone they were safe because of communications difficulties, and because they thought the authorities would be too busy dealing with the dead and injured.

Red Cross is operating a national call centre where people can register a person as missing, or found.

It has received thousands of calls since opening its emergency telephone lines on Tuesday, and is passing on all information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

One New Zealander, Leone Cosens, has been confirmed killed by Sunday's tsunami when it struck Phuket beach in Thailand, and 17 others are known to be in hospitals in Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi. Another two New Zealanders are in hospital in India.

But 124 New Zealanders who were known to have been in severely affected areas remain unaccounted for, and today there are unconfirmed reports two more New Zealanders have died.

Another 280 New Zealanders are thought to have been in Thailand, but it is not known where, and they have not been found.

An MFAT spokesman also urged people to make contact with the Red Cross helpline to let officials know if friends or family had been found.

"If in doubt, ring," he said.

* The Red Cross emergency helpline number is 0800 733 276.

* MFAT's missing person's line is 0800 432 111.