21 Jan 2004

President Bush signs off on federal assistance to American Samoa after Cyclone Heta

4:57 pm on 21 January 2004

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has triggered the final phase of relief assistance to help American Samoa after cyclone Heta.

President Bush has signed off on financial assistance to the victims of Heta so they can begin repairing or building new homes.

Also approved was the federal hazard mitigation grant program, which will help fund state and local government programmes which aim at preventing or reducing long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.