American Samoa braces for Tropical Cyclone Rene
Posted by JAC on 2/12/2010, 7:16 am
  By FILI SAGAPOLUTELE, Associated Press Writer Fili Sagapolutele, Associated Press Writer - 40 mins ago PAGO PAGO, American Samoa - All schools were closed in American Samoa Friday and residents were stocking up on bottled water, flashlights and candles as Tropical Cyclone Rene churned toward the U.S. Pacific island territory. The storm was packing winds of 63 mph with gusts of 80 mph around midnight. The National Weather Service said it was 140 miles northeast the territory's less populated Manu'a island, moving across the Pacific at about 9 mph. "Residents of Manu'a should start feeling the affects of the cyclone by daylight Friday morning, with strong winds," said NWS forecaster Carol Baqui in Pago Pago, She said the main island of Tutuila would begin feeling its power sometime Friday afternoon. The NWS said the storm would increase in strength during the day and could be packing winds reaching 75 mph later Friday. Leafa Ah Soon, store owner at Faleasao Village in Manu'a, said homes have been boarded up and residents have descended on her store to purchase supplies. "It's very calm at this point but residents believe that is the calm before a storm," Ah Soon told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "At this point, we are just waiting." All public and private schools, including the American Samoa Community College, were shutting down Friday, but teachers and officials were asked to report to secure classrooms and other facilities. Territorial Gov. Togiola Tulafono has not decided whether to close government offices. |
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- Re: American Samoa braces for Tropical Cyclone Rene - hanna, 2/12/2010, 11:54 am
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