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.

What seems to have gone majorly wrong is communication, and that's no small problem, reports Catherine Masters.

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.

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

As day breaks the clean-up begins in the coastal area of south-east Upolu Island, which bore the brunt of the post-quake sea surge.

Salamasina Taufua tried desperately to keep her 8-month-old baby above water before Samoa's tsunami forced her to let her go.