Electric Power Corporation (E.P.C.) workers have been forced to build emergency overhead power lines to reconnect the homes of families who had their electricity supply interrupted by Friday’s severe weather.

The General Manager of the E.P.C, Faumui Tauiliili Iese Toimoana, told the Samoa Observer that families had interrupted electricity supplies.

The General Manager said the underground cables connecting homes had been damaged by the heavy flooding.

E.P.C workers have been working to build overhead power lines to connect homes that have lost power due to the storm. 

The areas affected comprise of areas from Taufusi to Togafu’afu’a. It is not known precisely how many homes are affected by outages. 

“The workers (E.P.C) have worked to make sure families who are going through bad times due to the power cuts, will have electricity as soon as possible,” Faumui said.

“From Taufusi to Togafuafua, they’re experiencing some problems due to underground cables which have certainly been interrupted by the very bad flooding.

“We cannot do anything about it and find out what’s wrong unless the flooding slows down so, for now, the workers have set up and fixed overhead power lines to make sure those families have electricity amid this bad weather.”

Meanwhile, villages starting from Vailoa, Lepea, Vaimoso to the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P) continued to have power access as of late Friday evening.

Asked whether wind turbines in Aleipata had also suffered damage, the General Manager said the E.P.C. would only take them down if the Meteorology Office issued a confirmed cyclone warning.

For now, Faumui urges the public to avoid trying to fix power lines which have been cut by strong winds.

“We’re always on standby, 24 hours,” he said. 

“Avoid fixing power lines and give us a call instead.

“Don’t step closer to the interrupted power lines as we always advise. We’re always ready to serve.”