3 Oct 2009

Curfew enforced as looting continues in tsunami-stricken Pago Pago

8:45 am on 3 October 2009

American Samoa village mayors are being asked to strictly enforce curfews to try to control looting, particularly in Pago Pago, in the aftermath of the tsunami.

Pago Pago was hardest hit in American Samoa, where the death toll stands at 32.

Betty Ahsoon, from American Samoa Homeland Security, says the police and emergency services need to be able to concentrate on their regular jobs, and not hunting down criminals.

"There's a lot of private business. Those weren't hard hit by the water, so everything was cracked open. So in order to maintain that. Here we are we have to divert the duties of the police department to concentrate on other things to go after these people. So that's the reason we have asked the village mayors to support local law enforcement in keeping the curfew on so that these people will stay off the streets."

Betty Ahsoon says the focus is now to restore power, as well as caring for people still being housed in nine shelters