American Samoa's Governor Togiola Tulafono has closed all government offices today to allow employees to secure their homes and prepare for the approaching tropical cyclone Rene.
All cabinet members have been called to a special meeting at the Emergency Operations Center at 8 this morning.
All government schools, the community college and most private schools are also closed.
Our correspondent in American Samoa, Monica Miller reports.
"The latest report that we have received from the weather bureau here in American Samoa is that Manu'a should be hit by the cyclone at around 9am this morning and then 9 hours later the main island of Tutuila, the eye of the storm should be passing over Tutuila at that point and they are warning us to be prepared for on Manu'a for winds of upto ninety miles an hour and even with higher gusts and here on Tutuila between 60 to 80 miles an hour."
Monica Miller.
