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A salty, fishy smell hangs over the devastated Samoan village of Lalomanu this morning as police teams pick their way through the debris looking for bodies.
The low-lying village on the southern coast of the island of Upolu is believed to be one of the worst-hit by yesterday's tsunami.
About 50 of the 79 bodies that arrived at Motootua Hospital last night were from Lalomanu and anecdotal reports are that another 50 people remain missing.
The area, a popular tourist destination known for its white sand beach, today smells like an estuary – and looks like a rubbish tip.
Police groups of about 20 officers are scouring the beaches and countryside for the dead, picking their way through the rubbish.
A Red Cross convoy and diggers are also arriving in the stricken areas.
Power poles are down and the main ring road around the island has fallen away in places. Rocks instead of orange safety cones mark wash-outs.
Local residents emerged at first light to begin cleaning up their village.
They have created make-shift memorials to the victims. In the nearby village of Ulutogia people have been scrawling messages such as "Lest we forget" on a yellow ute.
A lot of villagers described coming out of their homes after the earthquake it to see their dogs running to the waterfront, before freaking out and taking off into the hills.
When people saw that, they knew they had to run into to bush for safety.
Residents said a lot of tourists went down to the beach after the earthquake to watch for a tsunami, despite locals telling them not to.
They described a wave as high as a single-storey house pushing everything before it, shifting debris about 100 metres.
The most amazing thing is that everyone is so friendly still. Everyone is waving and saying good morning – even though it's not.
How you can help
Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government
Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office
ANZ bank Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00
