Abasebenzi baseSamoa abacabanga ngokushesha basize ukusindisa izimpilo zezivakashi eziningi ngesikhathi kugadla i-tsunami, kusho uNdunankulu waseNew Zealand uJohn Key.
Okungenani abantu abangu-176 - phakathi kwabo okukhona abayisikhombisa baseNew Zealand nabahlanu base-Australia - bashonile ngesikhathi igagasi elikhulu lishaya ogwini oluseningizimu yeSamoa ngesonto eledlule.
UKey, ovakashele izindawo ezicekeleke phansi ngoMgqibelo, uthe ukuzamazama komhlaba okudale i-tsunami kwazamazamisa indawo yokuvakasha yaseSinalei cishe imizuzu emithathu.
"Babengenaso iseluleko mayelana ne-tsunami kodwa babone amagagasi namanzi ehla," etshela isithangami sabezindaba.
“Bavele bakhipha abantu ezindlini zabo kwaze kwafika lapho bangqongqoza khona base begqekeza iminyango yabanye babo.
“Badonse labo bantu entabeni kwathi kungakapheli mizuzu mingaki indawo yokungcebeleka yaguguleka.
“Ukube abazange bathathe isinyathelo ngokushesha kangaka ngicabanga ukuthi ngabe sekubulawe inqwaba yabantu baseNew Zealand.”
Ngaleso sikhathi kwakunabantu abangu-38 kule ndawo, iningi labo kungabantu baseNew Zealand.
Isibalo sabashonile eSamoa naseTonga simi ku-135, kwalimala abangu-310, kusho uKey.
Isibalo sabantu baseNew Zealand okuqinisekisiwe ukuthi bashonile simi kwabayisikhombisa, kanti ingane eyodwa ilahlekile, okucatshangwa ukuthi ishonile, esho.
Manje iNew Zealand yayinamasosha angu-160 nabezokwelapha eSamoa.
Ongoti bezifo ezithathelwanayo nabo bahambe ngoMsombuluko ekuseni kanti nabeluleki abadabukile nabo bebesendleleni.
UKey uthe iKhabhinethi yaseNew Zealand izoxoxa maduze ngezinga losizo lwezezimali oluzayo eSamoa naseTonga.
“Sinesabelomali sosizo esingaba yizigidi ezingama-NZ500 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingama-415) … kukhona amandla amaningi ngaphakathi kwalokho osizo oluphuthumayo kanye yilapho luzovela khona.
“Siyethemba kakhulu indlela amaSamoa namaTonga asisingatha ngayo lesi simo.
“Sinethemba langempela lokuthi uma sifaka imali yaseNew Zealand ohlelweni, bazokwazi ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi luphathwa ngendlela efanele.”
