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Flooding again this week — drainge mitigation request pending with FEMA

Flooding in the area between Cost U Less and SSAB Pago (now GIAS store)
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Following heavy rain this past weekend, that caused flooding as well as damage to the road in the Fagaima area, Tualauta Rep. Larry Sanitoa wrote to Salu Tuigamala, director of the Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) seeking an update on the local Hazard Mitigation applications for the Fagaima Road Drainage and the Cost-U-Less/Airport drainage projects.

Sanitoa recalled that during the ODAPM fiscal year 2021 budget hearing, Tuigamala mentioned that the two applications were still pending. “Given the recent heavy downpours and we are practically heading into the rainy season, families and residents are requesting an update on these drainage projects,” Sanitoa wrote to Tuigamala early this week. Sanitoa points out that flooding and runoff water at these two areas — Fagaima and Cost-U-Less /airport areas — “after every downpour is getting worse”.

He explained that twice now within the past four months, certain areas of the Fagaima road have been badly damaged by the flooding and the relentless runoff water from the back of Kokoland area.

In addition, several families at the end of the temporary drainage run off by the GIAS store (formely SAAB) at the Cost-U-Less/airport road — are constantly seeking help after every heavy downpour as their homes are flooded.

ODAPM’s State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Lima Fiatoa responded telling Sanitoa that Fagaima Drainage project application is currently undergoing an Environmental Historic Preservation (EHP) review at US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX office.

“Unfortunately, due to the numerous fires in the State of California and Covid-19, there have been significant delays in the EHP review process,” Fiatoa said noting that in his last correspondence with FEMA on Oct. 16th, “they assured me that our project is being reviewed and that we would receive a status update soon.”

“Fagaima Drainage is our priority project,” said Fiatoa, who points out that the Cost U Less Drainage was submitted as an alternate project, in the event that Fagaima Drainage is not approved.