Powerful Waves Wash Away Shoreline Protection

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Hurricane Victor’s winds generated damaging surf which drew water into beach front homes and covered roads and front yards along the coast with sand, rocks and debris from the sea.

Airport wavesThe Red Cross came to the assistance of five families in Vaitogi where the waves washed into their homes.

They were evacuated Saturday night.

At Fogagogo the seaside estate of the late Olo Letuli and his wife Pat suffered wave damage.

nuuuli wall damageA section of the retaining wall was torn up and the ferocious waves dumped rocks and sand around the property.

The driveway to the Letuli home was littered with boulders and other debris Saturday morning and one had to drive in zig zag fashion to avoid the boulders.

The seas also caused similar damage to the rockwall along Coconut Point, as well as many east side villages including Alega, Aumi, and the eastern most village of Onenoa.

The main highway at the small village of Fatu ma Futi which is almost at sea level, was submerged in water in the early morning of Saturday.

West and east bound vehicles drove through a flooded road that was covered with rocks, sand , branches and other debris that the sea washed up.

Some vehicles had to stop upon seeing huge waves rolling in.

fogagogoSome of the homes situated closest to the road took in water during high tide.

The clean up work in the areas which were inundated with the sea and debris was done by villagers as there were no government crews around and we could not find out over the weekend why not.

There was also no police presence as in other weather related calamities, directing traffic or getting swimmers out of the sea.
Both on Saturday and Sunday there were people swimming at Utulei Beach.

Videos of Fatu ma Futi also showed kids standing on the beach and then running up to the road, as if they were racing against the rolling waves which came crashing in after them.

Reports from Manu’a said that the road between Fitiuta and Ta’u was impassable as it was covered with huge rocks.
The Emergency Operations Center said they were no reports of injuries.

aumi 2The National Weather Service cancelled the hurricane warning for Manu’a Sunday afternoon.

A high surf warning and a small craft advisory are continuing and will probably continue to Tuesday night according to Meteorologist Elinor Lutu McMoore.

She said the rip currents in the high surf are quite strong and the public should heed the advice to stay away from the sea.

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