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SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah chapters of the American Red Cross sent a dozen people to American Samoa Thursday to help with relief efforts.
The volunteers will help victims of the devastating tsunami. "This is thousands of people whose homes are flattened. They need some place to stay, something to eat, a shoulder to cry on," said Susan Thomas, the communications director for the Red Cross in Utah.
Many Utah volunteers have responded to disasters like this before, but they say this is the worst they've seen in a long time.
Stan Rosenzweig is one of those volunteers. "It seems to me that they're going to need as much help as they can get. I don't think I've seen a disaster this big since, well, Katrina," he said.
Many volunteers said they can't wait to provide relief to those who have lost everything.
"The reason I want to go over there and help is because people have been displaced from their homes and they need assistance and that's what the Red Cross does. We help people in need with food, clothing and shelter," said Bill Bully, a volunteer.
The 12 Utah volunteers will spend at least a week working overseas.
So far, the death toll from the tsunami sits at 160.
