The head of a Hawaii committee formed to help victims of the Sept. 29 earthquake and tsunami in Sämoa is asking residents to donate money for residents of Independent Sämoa.

Gus Hannemann, chairman of the Samoa Tsunami Relief-Hawaii Committee, said people have rallied to help survivors in American Sämoa, which also receives federal aid from the United States. But thousands of people in Sämoa are still going without and are in need of assistance, Hannemann said.

The Sept. 29 tsunami triggered by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake killed 34 people in American Sämoa, 183 in Sämoa and nine in Tonga.

Hannemann said Sämoans in Hawaii have family and friends in both Sämoas and he called on everyone to help those in need.

"It is our Sämoan tradition to band together during 'faalavelave,' which means families share in the grief, burden and load when their families are in dire constraints," he said.

He said his committee's goal is to raise $100,000. Donations with checks payable to Samoa Tsunami Relief Fund can be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank.