Tropical Cyclone Evan: Update

Apia, December 14, 2012

We were hit by a cyclone yesterday. It started as a category 1 but I heard that it increased in strength to a category 2. It did quite a bit of damage and it appears that power is out on the whole island for about 2 weeks. It's been very hard to get information but it appears as though the storm is heading back our way. It already had sustained winds of ~100mph. So much rain fell that the river overflowed and flooded the area around our hotel. The Peace Corps Medical Officer told me that she had never seen damage like the flooding behind the hotel. We went into the Peace Corps office to find the floor covered in about and inch or more of mud. I don't have my phone because it's at the phone company for repairs so I haven't been able to contact any of my family.

I feel really antsy. I'd like to get out and check out the damage and help clean up if possible. We were supposed to swear in this morning but that has been pushed back indefinitely. That's sad because the Prime Minister of Samoa and the U.S. Ambassador were going to be present. I was also set to give the swearing-in speech for our group. All-in-all, a very crazy and intense beginning to our PC service.


Apia, December 16, 2012

I've been without power or internet in our hotel for almost a week now due to Evan. I was hoping to post some blogs to update about training and where we are at now. It appears that will have to wait. Parts of Apia are now getting power and I'm at an internet cafe right now. I just wanted to update everyone.

First, if you haven't heard, Tropical Cyclone Evan, a category 2 (at the time) cyclone hit Samoa last Thursday. It has delayed our training, swearing-in, and moving to our permanent sites. We are all safe but the same cannot be said for many families in Samoa. Yesterday, a group of us PC Trainees/Volunteers went to Red Cross to volunteer. We were able to help organize donations, enter data, and distribute food. The evacuation site I was volunteering at had nearly 700 people living there (with only about 4 toilets). Some of the Peace Corps staff's houses were destroyed. Their families are safe and they still came in to help clean up the PC office which had about 2-3 inches of mud in about half of the office including the director's office.

Also, I am safe. There isn't much information and we have to wait for the PC office in Wash. DC to open up tomorrow. It's already Monday here but we have to wait until Tuesday our time for any info because of the time difference. It looks like we'll be in Apia for a few more days. I'll let you know more when I can. I have plenty of pics and videos to post when I have time. It does sound like it was very lucky that we weren't in our training village. It sounds like most of our houses were destroyed.

It's weird to think that this is the holiday season--it really doesn't feel like it here with the tropical weather, muddy roads, and destruction. But, we are doing a Secret Santa gift exchange and trying to stay in the spirit of the holidays. Love to you all and send a few extra hugs around in my place for the holidays. Know that you are all in my thoughts!

(Continued: Patamea, January 10, 2013)

We ended up spending nearly an extra week in Apia. most of the time trapped in our hotel because the river's flood waters had surrounded the entire building. I was finally able to go out and view the damage a few days after the storm. While everywhere looked damaged, the areas immediately next to the river were completely demolished. On Sunday, December 15, most of us went to volunteer with the Red Cross. I spent the day helping out at an evacuation site. We distributed food and water as well as medical and hygiene kits. I heard that around 7,000-8,000 people were evacuated to different sites. That's basically a quarter of the entire population of Apia, the capitol. The mountains around Apia were more or less stripped of vegetation. It sounds like it will be a few months before farming gets back to normal. They sent us off the Savai'i on the 19th, the day after our swearing-in ceremony finally took place at the U.S. Embassy.

Videos:
Start of the storm
In full swing
Aftermath

Pictures: