Roads in and out of Samoa’s capital Apia are now in lockdown and all public service workers have been released to return home as heavy rain causes widespread flooding.
Police have blocked off all roads and traffic in and out of Apia have been stopped.
In surrounding areas, burst river banks have forced families to leave homes inundated by flood waters.
In some areas in Apia, floodwaters flow like rivers forcing motorists to abandon vehicles.
Some residents have been using small boats to get around as incoming tides force rivers to overflow.
This morning various river banks have burst and police are now blocking people trying to enter the town where most streets are under water.
An Apia resident, Georgina Newton, said it’s worse than the flooding experienced in Cyclone Evan eight years ago.
It’s very heavy rain. So all the rivers are being backed up and all the flooding can’t go out to sea. So we’re in a very bad position and the flooding is extreme everywhere.”
“It’s very heavy rain. So all the rivers are being backed up and all the flooding can’t go out to sea. So we’re in a very bad position and the flooding is extreme everywhere.”
