National Emergency Operation Centre

The National Disaster Committee said Vailulu’u is a conical seamount, the youngest and eastern most volcano in the Samoan archipelago.

The NDC said Samoa Meteorology Office is monitoring a continuing earthquake swarm occurring in the Manu’a islands of American Samoa.

“This cluster of earthquakes is most likely related to Vailulu’u seamount and or nearby submarine volcanoes in the American Samoa region.”

The chairman of the centre, 'Ulu Bismarc Crawley, says these are precautionary measures to safeguard Samoa and the general public.

Around 150 passengers will be on the flight most of them returning Samoan citizens whose travel plans had been affected by the closing of borders in March due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The restrictions to the main areas of the airport have been put in place for 24 hours ending at midnight tonight.

The NEOC has been set up as required by the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) under the National Disaster and Emergency Act 2007.

The Government said the NEOC will be responsible for planning, operations, logistics, community welfare and public information management safety and legal section.

Before the Proclamation of Emergency, the Ministry of Health (MOH) activated its Emergency Operation Centre at Motootua on 11 November 2019 to coordinate efforts on mitigating the spread of the Measles Outbreak.