Volcanologist from USGS arrives to monitor shakes

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A volcanologist from the US Geological Survey, Natalia Irma Deligne, arrived on Thursday night’s Hawaiian Airlines flight to help local officials monitor and respond to s series of tremors which Manu’a residents have experienced this week.

According to her staff profile, Deligne has most recently worked at the US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Director of Homeland Security Samana Semo Ve’ave’a said Deligne Deligne is traveling to Manu’a Saturday and is expected to install seismic monitoring equipment near Ta’u and Ofu islands.

Additional members of the volcanic observation team will be arriving next week and will be bringing monitoring equipment to study Vailulu’u seamount. One of the team members on the team is the Director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Meanwhile officials at the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority confirmed there was disruption in service in Manu’a as a result of the tremors felt earlier this week.

ASTCA said the service has since been restored, but on Tuesday night just before midnight, the link between Ta’u and Ofu was disrupted due to the seismic activity.

ASTCA told KHJ News that local engineers were able to restore the link and connectivity at 6:45AM the following morning.