Rain claims life in American Samoa

A teenage girl has died and homes have been evacuated under the threat of landslides following a day of severe weather in American Samoa.

The girl was killed when she was swept away in a stream during yesterday’s heavy rains, which drenched the main island of Tutuila, and prompted a flash flood warning.

The rain caused a landslide in Gatavai village, damaging at least three homes and a church, prompting residents to be evacuated to a nearby high school for temporary shelter.

Residents on the hillside of neighbouring Utulei village were also told to evacuate to the high school as a precaution.

Government offices in the villages were also ordered to close.

Emergency officials in Pago Pago say the landslide was the only major incident due to the heavy rain this week.

Earlier in the day Lieutenant Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga called on Utulei and Gataivai to evacuate before night fell.

Three families living on the mountain lost their homes in a mudslide and the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa’s Gataivai church was partly demolished.

Lemanu told Samoa News that there were around 50 families who had been asked to evacuate their homes and move to the Samoana High School, where they were to take shelter until further notice.

“Safety is our main concern right now and we need the families to evacuate before night fall.”