As the water receded Ioka Fa'aliga-Fauena Yi clutched the body of her lifeless baby, said a prayer and sucked his nose.

Three adults and two children among those confirmed to have died in Wednesday's tragedy.

John Key has arrived in Samoa to see for himself the destruction caused by this week's earthquake and tsunami.

84-year-old South Auckland grandmother is among those confirmed dead.

A naked 84-year-old Lemafa Atia'e wasn't afraid as he clung for his life to his neighbour's steel house post while waves crashed over him.

Parents blame themselves for child's death because they tried to flee torrent in a rental car instead of running for high ground, says a family friend.

"I knew something was coming. Something in my head said: if the quake is that big, it means it was close."

The death toll from this week's devastating tsunamis rose to at least 180 yesterday, as a fresh earthquake rattled the region around Samoa.

Lucky survivors of Samoa's deadly tsunami looked like they'd been "churned up in a mass of dirty washing machines" says a surgeon helping on the ground.

More tales of survival and tragedy emerge from the tsunami battered islands.

Na toetoe ina tutulu le Palemia a Samoa Afioga Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi i le po anapo a o fai lana saunoaga i le atunuu.

Members of Parliament are working alongside members of the public as a huge international relief effort gets under way in Samoa and Tonga.

Samoa’s Prime Minister was near tears last night as he addressed his tsunami-hit nation.

Andy and Angie Belcher didn't even have time to unpack their bags before the tsunami hit.