Disasters, Conflicts and Migration
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Natural Disasters |
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Type |
Occurs |
Comments / Details |
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Drought |
Yes |
In 1997 and 1998, lengthy droughts occurred, with one lasting over six weeks on Savai’i, extending over some 200 km2. This caused massive fires and destroyed 80% of food crops. A Level One meteorological drought was declared in 2015. Impacts of a meteorological drought include the likely failure of certain weed and grass species due to precipitation deficiency, reduced ground water recharge, reduced surface water flow and water availability, and the increased risk of forest and bush fires. Prolonged drought causes failure of water intakes in rural areas. A lack of adequate water trucks means water supply to these areas is limited. Private contractors’ water trucks are used at significant cost. Crops fail and there are significant economic losses. The environmental impact is high as streams dry up, compounded by needing to take water from them to augment town supply. Villages suffer, as there is limited water storage. Droughts are mostly felt during the El Nino and La Nina effect. |
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Earthquakes |
Yes |
Earthquake in Samoa with a magnitude of 8.1 in 2009. The 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami took place on 29 September 2009 in the southern Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone. The submarine earthquake occurred in an extensional environment and had a moment magnitude of 8.1 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). It was the largest earthquake of 2009. The earthquake initiated with a normal-faulting event with a magnitude of 8.1. Within two minutes of the earthquake rupture, two large magnitude 7.8 earthquakes occurred on the subduction zone interface. The two magnitude 7.8 earthquakes had a combined magnitude equivalent to 8.0. The event can be considered a doublet earthquake. In 1917, a magnitude 8.5+ earthquake occurred some 200 km southwest of Samoa. A repeat of an event of this size is likely to generate peak ground accelerations of 0.1 to 0.2g and correspond with a local felt intensity of Modified Mercalli (MM) VII to VIII. This is likely to cause land sliding and damage to unreinforced buildings. A small tsunami may be generated (as it was for the 1917 event). No major infrastructure damage or loss of life is anticipated. Crops not affected (cf. tsunami or cyclone). |
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Epidemics |
Yes |
In 1918, approximately 8500 (one-fifth of the population) died of influenza. The Samoa measles outbreak began in September 2019. As of 6 January 2020, there were over 5,700 cases of measles and 83 deaths, out of a Samoan population of 200,874. Over three per cent of the population were infected. Samoa was the first country to close its borders when COVID-19 was declared as the global pandemic in March 2020, this is from their experience on the measles endemic months earlier. |
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Tropical Cyclones |
Yes |
Tropical cyclones are the main hazards facing Samoa. They are associated with damaging winds, rainfall, flooding, swells, storm surges and even tornadoes. Samoa has already been affected by cyclones multiple times in the last few decades. Samoa’s National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) describes Samoa’s tropical cyclone risk as “extreme”. In 2012, Tropical Cyclone Evan offered a distressing reminder of Samoa’s exposure to natural hazards. Evan came only three years after the earthquake and tsunami of 2009 which caused devastating damage and loss of life to Samoa. The worst cyclone to have impacted Samoa in recent times are Cyclone Ofa in 1990 and Cyclone Val in 1991; combined these two events caused 21 fatalities and widespread destruction, with total economic losses between USD300 million and USD500 million, equivalent to about four times the country’s gross domestic product. Tropical Cyclone Gita brought torrential rain to parts of Samoa on 8–9 February 2018. Accumulations of rain averaged 150–250 mm (5.9–9.8 in) across the country, peaking at 320 mm (13 in) along the eastern slopes of Mount Le Pu'e on Upolu. Storm-force winds impacted the nation, reaching 99.7 km/h (62.0 mph) at Faleolo International Airport and 98.2 km/h (61.0 mph) in Apia. Multiple rivers in the city burst their banks and inundated homes. At least 233 people sought refuge in emergency shelters. Landslides and flooding rendered many roads impassable. Communications were briefly lost with the southern coast of Upolu. A state of disaster was declared for the nation on 10 February. Damage to the power grid reached $10 million. No casualties were reported nationwide. |
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Extreme Temperatures |
No |
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Flooding |
Yes |
In June 2023, Samoa was hit by heavy floods, result of heavy rain with 300mm of rain falling in 24 hours. Savai’i (the second largest inhabited island in Samoa) the most affected with widespread outages and damaged roads and bridges. Homes were destroyed in Saipipi (village in the east coast of Savai’i) and floodwaters reached a meter deep in Sapapali’i (village in the northeast coast of Savai’i). Flooding associated with cyclones and earthquakes (storm surges, tsunamis) has been a source of damage in recent years. Flooding due to other causes (in particular, heavy rainfall) was not a major concern in the past, but it is now occurring with increased frequency, presumably because of long-term changes in weather patterns. |
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Insect Infestation |
Yes |
Taro beetle causing Leaf Blight continues to seriously affects Samoa’s staple crop, taro, placing domestic food supply and exports at risk. Eradication is difficult and expensive. |
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Mudslides |
Yes |
Heavy rain triggers landslides and mudslides in Samoa. The heavy in December 2020, triggered landslides in areas around the capital Apia. Days of heavy rainfall brought by Tropical Cyclone Gita of February 2018 caused landslides. |
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Volcanic Eruptions |
No (but possible) |
The most recent volcanic eruption Matavanu 1905- 1911 is the youngest volcanic eruption in Samoa and as such it is a global example of oceanic hot spot volcanism and of a Pacific Island chain. This eruption destroyed a local village and originated an extensive lava flow field that expanded the landmass of Savai’i Island. The Matavanu volcano and near-by faults associated with the slumping of northern Savai’i Island are related to the volcano-tectonics of the island. |
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High Waves / Surges |
Yes |
There are threats for villages along the coast with high waves and surges experienced in July 2022. The strongest tidal wave registered in Samoa so far reached a height of 14.45 meters. On 09/29/2009, this tsunami killed a total of 356 people. |
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Wildfires |
Yes |
In drought situations. Large scrub fire threatening one or more villages. Unlikely to cause fatalities as it won’t be that fast moving due to fuels being normally moist. Loss of crops likely. Few structures affected. Fire service resources used to protect villages but no capability to fight fire in rural areas. Potential for it to get out of control, particularly on Savai’i |
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High Winds |
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Cyclones have been the worst external threat to Samoa. Since 1981, there have been over 15 major cyclones with wind speeds ranging from “gale force” (8 events) through “storm force” (2 events) to “hurricane force” (5 events). Three hurricanes (Ofa in 1990, Val in 1991, Heta in 2004) caused massive devastation. In addition to wind damage, cyclones have often resulted in tidal surges, which also caused serious damage. Cyclone Gita in 2018 caused extensive flooding, rivers burst their banks and houses were inundated. More than 200 people needed emergency shelter. |
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Other Comments |
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Man-Made Issues |
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Civil Strife |
No |
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International Conflict |
No |
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Internally Displaced Persons |
No |
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Refugees Present |
No |
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Landmines / UXO Present |
Nil |
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Other Comments |
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For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile.
Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities
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Seasonal Effects on Transport |
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Transport Type |
Time Frame |
Comments / Details |
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Primary Road Transport |
Nov – April |
Road networks may be affected due to heavy rain during the cyclone season. |
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Secondary Road Transport |
Nov – April |
Road networks may be affected due to heavy rain during the cyclone season.
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Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response
GOVERNMENT
The Samoa Disaster and Emergency Act 2007 is the legal framework on disaster risk management. The Act provides for the management of disasters and emergencies in Samoa by effective planning and risk reduction, response and recovery procedures and the promotion of coordination amongst the agencies responsible for disaster management. The National Disaster Council (NDC) and the National Advisory Committee were established by the Disaster and Emergency Management Act of 2007. The NDC is responsible for reviewing and approving recommendations by the Disaster Advisory Committee and providing directions to ministries on implementation of the recommendations. Other responsibilities include implementation of risk reduction, preparedness, response, and recovery activities by all agencies related to disaster management.
The National Advisory Committee is responsible to review approaching disasters and advise the NDC and to implement he National Disaster Management Plan (Government of Samoa, 2007). Disaster Management Office (DMO) division under the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) is responsible for coordination, development and implementation of the disaster risk management programmes and activities.
Samoa National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management is an operational document that should be used/read in conjunction with the National Disaster Management Plan 2017 – 2020. Previous versions of the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) have worked towards the expectation that communities are protected from hazards, and that where emergency situations occur, communities will be well served by effective response, relief and recovery arrangements. A holistic approach to Disaster Risk Management (DRM) is now being promoted - aimed at reducing the impacts of and increasing Samoa’s resilience to natural and human induced hazards. The Government of Samoa has taken steps to realize this expectation through prevention, preparedness, response and recovery planning.
Samoa has embraced the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR), the World Humanitarian Summit Outcome 2016, the implementation of SAMOA Pathway, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and relevant regional frameworks and agreements including the Framework for Resilient Development 2017-2030 – An Integrated Approach to Address Climate Change at local level.
Figure 1: Linkages between the NDMP and Legislation, Sector and Agency Plans
A Climate Change and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) division was recently established under MNRE to coordinate and implement climate change related projects in the country. The National Climate Change Coordination Committee was established to monitor climate change activities at policy level. Samoa Meteorology Division (SMD) is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Service mandated to provide meteorological, geo-science, climate change advice in support of sustainable development of natural resources. It has two offices, both on Upolu Island. The headquarters is in Apia and there is a separate office at Faleolo International airport. SMD is responsible for the National Tropical Cyclone Warning Center that provides cyclone forecasts warnings and noncyclonic severe weather events.
Multilateral partners including Asian Development Bank (ABD), European Union, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), USAID, and the World Bank Group; bilateral partners such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the People’s Republic of China; and various agencies of the United Nations provide development assistance in Samoa.
The Samoa Police and Samoa Fire & Emergency Authority are mobilized and provide logistical support and manpower during any emergency response. The involvement of the Samoa Police and Samoa Fire Authority are stipulated in the Disaster and Emergency Management Act of 2007. The use of civil defense assets such as trucks and assets to provide support as well as the regulatory powers and necessary actions if there are offences and hinderances to the smooth functioning of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC)
For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List
HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY
There are several humanitarian organizations present in Samoa; Red Cross, Adventist Disaster Relief Association, CARITAS and other UN agencies.
Samoa Red Cross Society was founded in 1952 as branch of the New Zealand Red Cross Society. It was later closed, then reactivated in 1981 has its headquarters in Apia. The Red Cross supports the Shelter Cluster and has pre-positioned items in six depots over the country, three depots in Upolu, one in Manono Island, one in Apolima Island and one in Savai’i Island.
ADRA Samoa was started by the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church as the church’s humanitarian arm. ADRA Samoa does not prothelyse but exists ito serve and care for the needs of people with no preference for race, gender or religion. ADRA also provides the main hall as the evacuation center in Apia.
Caritas Samoa works in close partnership with Caritas agencies, international relief organizations, as well as the Samoan government’s National Disaster Management Office to provide assistance and training where needed. In 2012, after Cyclone Evan hit the Pacific Islands, knocking out power and destroying more than 1000 homes, Caritas Samoa partnered with Caritas agencies to provide immediate emergency relief provisions, such as food, water and generators for lighting, to thousands of people in Samoa, Fiji and elsewhere. Part of the aid included utilizing Caritas Samoa’s basement hall and three other centers, in partnership with the Red Cross, to provide shelter to more than 1000 people. In addition, Caritas Samoa also distributed emergency relief items from six pre-positioned containers-four on the main island of Upolu and two on Savai’i, to provide hygiene kits, jerry cans, tarpaulins and kitchen sets to help families establish temporary shelter and homes.
Apart from its work on emergency response, Caritas Samoa also provides assistance to low-income families by providing food and clothing, promotes capacity building initiatives for women and helps with the improvement of rural waters supplies. Caritas Samoa also takes part in peace and reconciliation on a grassroots level by improving relations between students in schools where there is unrest. Caritas Samoa intends to boost its work with young people by establishing a centre where young people can meet, learn and interact, and by giving encouragement to young people who dedicate their lives to the Church. Caritas Samoa main office in Apia has a staff of around 5 employees and volunteers to supervise their programmes. Caritas Samoa collaborates with the Caritas network to develop and implement their activities, such as Caritas Australia and a project involving Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand to build classrooms in schools following the Pacific tsunami of 2009 and Cyclone Evan in 2012.
The World Food Programme in partnership with Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the University of the South Pacific conducted a two-day workshop on critical market assessments for data driven decision making for disaster response policies in Samoa. WFP handed over 20 tablets to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to strengthen their capacity in digital data collection after the workshop in August 2022. WFP in 2023 established its physical presence with the nomination of Head of Area officer and Focal Point in Samoa for programmes and partnerships covering the sub-region four countries: Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. In 2022, Pacific Humanitarian Air Service (PHAS) by WFP transported 82CBM of PPE, medical equipment and vaccines and further transported 24CBM in 2021 and 95CBM in 2022 of oxygen transporters, PPE and medical equipment during the COVID pandemic.
There are many UN organizations in Apia and have established an ONE UN centre/building where some agencies are based. The UN organizations with presence in Samoa are; Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Fund & Small Grants Programme, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) , United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) , United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, United Nation World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), World Meteorology Organization (WMO).
For more information on humanitarian agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Humanitarian Agency Contact List
