Samoa

Just after midnight on Sabbath morning, ADRA opened an evacuation center at the Seventh-day Adventist Church headquarters in Apia and provided shelter for more than 200 people who were forced to flee their homes.

The country is facing widespread flooding, power blackouts, lack of fresh water and limited road access.

“ADRA is working with the Red Cross to provide meals and accommodation as well as working with the government to undertake rapid damage assessments of the two islands of Savai’i and Upolu,” an ADRA spokesperson said.

Gita swept through Samoa at the weekend when it was still a category two storm.

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and a government assessment team visited parts of the country yesterday.

RNZI reports most of the damage caused has been through flooding, especially in and around Apia where the Vaisigano River's banks were breached.

One of the most serious flooding areas was around Samoa's iconic Aggie Grey's Sheraton Hotel near the Apia waterfront.

The hotel is now closed as workers are concentrating on the clean-up.

The projects are thanks to a joint initiative joint initiative of the European Union, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the Pacific Community (SPC). 

The enterprises identified as pilot projects will receive support in the form of technical assistance and equipment meant to enhance competitiveness in the coconut sector. They include Mailelani Samoa Body Care, Samoa Coconut Cluster (SCC), Serendi Coco Samoa Ltd., Women in Business Development (WIBDI), Elcress Agra, and Ambrym Coconut Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd (ACFC).

Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi said he signed the Land Title Registration Act in 2008 before realising there should have been a referendum on it.

Tupua, who was speaking at a conference in New Zealand, said he was told the act would not affect customary land rights.

He said Samoans need to understand legislation that effects their customary rights and do everything to keep their land.

Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has also voiced his concern, calling for an urgent review of radio stations and transmission masts.

He said it was lucky the cyclone was not a major one for the country.

Local journalist, Tuiasau Uelese Petaia, said the main AM radio station in Samoa wasn't working during the cyclone

He said locals wanted to be kept informed about the storm especially when they lost power.

The cyclone caused widespread flooding, water damage and power outages.

Samoa suffered little structural damage to buildings and infrastructure but some homes were still without power due to downed power lines.

The Electric Power Corporation said it was working hard to restore power to all consumers by the end of the week.

Many homes located by rivers that burst their banks were still cleaning up mud and debris.

Health officials continued to issue warnings about dengue and other water bourne diseases, recommending people boil water.

In a report released last night by the Disaster Management Office and the Disaster Advisory Committee, following Cyclone Gita, people's safety was a priority in Samoa.

The Samoan government decided on Monday night to extend the Declaration of Disaster imposed during Gita for another 48 hours.

"Overall, the restoration of affected lifeline services and clearance of debris are progressing well," the report said.

It said there was access throughout the country and maintenance of roads, drainages and road reserves were well underway.

The cyclone caused widespread flooding, water damage and power outages.

The agency's general secretary Namulauulu Tautala Mauala said hygiene kits were a priority as the cleanup continues.

She said they the Red Cross had been appealing to the business community to help with the provision of emergency hygiene supplies such as toilet paper, soap, towels, hand sanitiser, female sanitary needs and clothing.

About two-thirds of the communication has been restored in Upolu and Savaii and work is ongoing at pace to restore all services in Samoa.

Additionally, public charging stations have been deployed across multiple sites so that customers can power their phones and connect with families and friends at home and abroad. Locations of charging stations are being communicated via the Digicel Samoa Facebook page and via the radio stations.

Relief supplies were packed by staff and are being distributed to heavily affected areas.

The new equipment will replace old machines funded by Japan in 2001.

The printers will allow for the mass production of material to improve access to school curricula and teaching resources as well as examination papers.

Samoa and Japan have signed a number of grant aid agreements in the past to assist in various sectors including water and sanitation infrastructure.