21 Jan 2013

Tropical cyclone Garry heads towards Samoa

8:10 pm on 21 January 2013

A tropical Cyclone, which has been named Garry, is expected to affect Samoa and American Samoa in the next 24 hours.

The assistant CEO of Samoa's Meteorology Division, Mulipola Ausegalia, said on Monday afternoon the weather system was about 190 nautical miles north of Apia.

Since named as Garry, the category 1 cyclone is moving slowly in an easterly direction.

Mr Ausegalia says they've issued warnings for the whole country.

"We have already issued warnings for the public and all of the country, we've issued, or expecting up to hurricane force winds, storm force winds really."

Mulipola Ausegalia says it's forecast to later move in a north-east direction towards American Samoa where the US Coast Guard has closed the port of Pago Pago as the territory braces for Cyclone Garry.