Tisa Faamuli, a well known environmentalist in American Samoa, has sounded the alarm on excavation work and cutting of trees on the hill side to the Governor’s residence at Maugaoali’i..
She cautions this is an accident waiting to happen, and it will be tragic considering the Early Childhood Center is across the road, and motorists are always on the highway beneath the hill.
Tisa says, “I noticed major excavation at the Government House driveway at Mauga O Ali’i starting on Monday.
“Upon cLoser look, water was seeping out of the earth and Lower level of rock wall, that holds up the mountain.”
Tisa told KHJ News, “The land will move and trigger a Huge landslide that could destroy the daycare center across the street, the traveling public and the public highway. It’s a huge accident waiting to happen.
“The entire mountain is not stable because the rock is rotten, and giant tree roots holding up the mountain have been cut.”
Tisa said yesterday she saw the excavation “literally cut off legs and roots of giant trees holding up the tall mountain on the governor’s driveway.“
The government house driveway has been blocked and there’s no sign of traffic to the Governor”# residence for a week now, said Tisa.
She predicts that the excavation work will cause a landslide, during the next heavy rain storm.pese
Similar land use activity in the Bay Area thst the famous Alega resident and businesswoman pointed to:
- 40 to 50 loads of rocks are dumped in the old Soli’s Restaurant waterfront and Suiga ula Beach front.
- In Fatu ma Fiti, “an excavated mountain ten feet away from homes in the area, in this tiny strip of land. Potential land slide could hurt homes below it. Another accident waiting to happen.
- In Leloaloa, behind the new Tutuila Store, a huge excavation is going on behind the new store, redirecting the stream, and is now causing floods along the public highway to Aua and towards the Lepua Catholic church.
- At the old Marist Brother school property in Atu’u, recent excavations by someone, also increased floods along the entire coast.
She noted that a poorly constructed seawall in this area, already causes drainage problems and flooding.
Tisa said the Zoning Board and Public Works are not paying attention to the danger that these recent and unlawful excavations may cause the traveling public.
“I am very concerned about my safety and highway traffic,” she said.
