21 Oct 2009

Supplies rolling in to American Samoa but power outages continue

10:37 am on 21 October 2009

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA says rolling power outages are continuing in American Samoa following the tsunami.

It says the Tafuna power plant is at operational capacity and 33 generators have been installed to help power restoration.

FEMA also says 3,250 cubic yards of debris have been collected while a US Coast Guard dive team from the US has arrived to search for debris and missing people.

It says short term housing packages have been delivered to 16 villages while the American Red Cross is staffing five resources centers.

The Red Cross has also taken delivery of 122 pallets of supplies for residents affected by the tsunami.

The supplies, which arrived in Pago Pago over the weekend included diapers, baby formula, towels, and brooms, which are in short supply in the territory.

They also included bolts of fabric to be cut into lava-lava.

More than 300 workers from the American Red Cross, from chapters in American Samoa, Hawaii and the US mainland, are assisting those affected by the tsunami in the territory.

They will distribute new supplies to villages, along with canned tuna, rice, noodles and water.

Red Cross worker Bob Howard says affected families have temporary housing, and cots and cooking utensils, and the Red Cross is providing food supplies that will allow them to cook at home.