30 Nov 2007

Flooding in American Samoa worsened by dumped rubbish

3:01 pm on 30 November 2007

Heavy rainfall that saw streets in American Samoa turn into rivers earlier today have eased off - but there could be more to come with a flood warning still in place.

The floods are the worst since March 2003 when three people died following torrential downpours.

There have been no deaths or injuries reported so far but a number of businesses and families are facing major clean-ups after their premises and homes were flooded.

Our correspondent Monica Miller says the floods are made worse by blockages in the island's streams.

"People are using streams as a rubbish bin and then whenever it rains, you know, sometimes we have refrigerators and washing machines and other things that people tend to throw in the stream, you know washing down."