A team of New Zealand engineers and scientists has arrived in Samoa to study the impact of last week's tsunami on the country's buildings and infrastructure.
The eight person group from NIWA and GNS Science is joining other international survey teams there.
One of the mission's co-leaders, William Power from GNS Science, says the aim is to help New Zealand and Samoa become better prepared for the threat of a tsunami.
Dr Power says a better understanding of the mechanics of tsunami wave movements in coastal settings will help improve the accuracy of computer models.
The group also plans to observe how different types of construction fared in the tsunami.
