Families now living in emergency shelters are being fed by the Department of Education School Lunch Program, according to Deputy Director of Education Faaui Vaitautolu.
While several public schools were opened up yesterday to take families needing shelter, only two were used as of last night: Tafuna Elementary School and Samoana High School.
Vaitautolu reported this morning at a meeting at the Emergency Operations Center that more than 300 have moved in to the two schools. Last night they were served dinner and this morning they received breakfast from the School Lunch Program.
The DOE official asked the American Samoa Power Authority to restore water be restored to Tafuna Elementary as soon as possible. The school has power.
It was also reported at the meeting that the LDS Church has opened up their stake centers for families whose homes were affected by wind and rain.
Director of Homeland Security Samana Semo Ve’ave’a asked that private shelters such as the churches also be documented for a report to FEMA.
Reports to Samoan Affairs from pulenuu indicate heavy damage to homes throughout the island. Deputy Secretary of Samoan Affairs Malemo Tausaga said families need equipment to get rid of huge trees littering their yards. He said people are also asking where they can take such debris to.
Pago Pago International Airport reopens at 12 noon today.
The port is still closed pending a review by the US Coast Guard.
DPS reported that looting occured in stores that suffered damages.
There were no reported injuries or fatalities from Cyclone Gita.
The American Samoa Power Authority hopes to restore water by this afternoon and power by tomorrow afternoon.
The American Samoa Telecommunications Authority lost a tower on the east side. Landline service has been hampered by the lack of electricity and satelite internet service is lost, leaving very limited bandwidth on the American Samoa Hawaii cable.
In other news Hawaiian Air’s flight which was scheduled for tonight is now delayed until tomorrow.
It is arriving at 2:20pm and leave at 3:50pm.
Check in begins at 8:00 am.
