A family living in Moamoa Fou fear destructive flooding will lead to the loss of more land and gradually threaten their home and are hoping the Government can assist them.

Soifua Apolosio Alaalatoa, who lives in Moamoa Fou with his family of 17, told the Samoa Observer that a river that runs within the vicinity of their house claimed their neighbour’s land in 2012 and flooding in December last year and early January this year has now left them more vulnerable. 

He fears that more torrential rain that triggers flash floods exposes his house to the path of the river and could destroy his home. 

The local church has offered him and his family land to move to, in order to mitigate risks associated with the extreme weather events, for which he is thankful.

"The church has been kind to us, we now have another piece of land we can move to for safety," he said. 

Soifua has already begun clearing the new block of land, but he says it is a tough decision to make, when his late wife is buried on the land that they could lose to a flood and finance to relocate is hard to come by.

And with the foundation of the old house already sitting on the edge of an eroded lawn, which is unlikely to withstand the might of a destructive flood, Soifua says they’ve decided to take down the house as they believe it will be destroyed in the next flood. 

The Moamoa Fou resident also hopes the Government will be able to assist them following a visit after flooding last month by the local M.P. Salausa Dr. John Ah Ching and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.

"We will see what the Government can do, the Prime Minister came here to take a look, he came with the Member of Parliament, Salausa," he said.

According to Soifua, the Prime Minister and Salausa visited the area after the flooding and assured them of the Government’s assistance. 

Salausa, who is the Member of Parliament of Faleata No. 1 Constituency, told the Samoa Observer when approached for a comment that he visited the Moamoa Fou community after the flooding last month.

"I visited there a day after the floods, I went and took a look and visited the constituency, starting from Moamoa to Sinamoga, from Vaimoso to Lepea. I visited all of them," he said. 

The M.P. says following their visit a report, which included pictures of the flood-stricken homes, was submitted to the Government and he raised the issue again during last week’s sitting of the Parliament.

Emphasising that he did not make any promises to anyone during his visit to Moamoa Fou, the M.P. said you can only submit a report and based on that request assistance.

"How can I promise something that I do not know for sure I can do, if it was something that I was doing I can promise it, if it is my money being used for it," he said. "You know that the responsibility of a Member of Parliament is to put in a request so that's all I can do.

"If it was my money being used then okay I will promise that, but it is not my money that is being used for it.

"It is not only my constituency that is affected.”

During the Parliament Session last month, Salausa said climate change has presented many challenges in his constituency, especially in terms of rivers and roads.

He said families lost their land, including the land markers, especially three families that are living close to the Moamoa Fou road whose road access was cut off.

The MP told the Parliament that he has done a report on the flood damages including losses suffered during the February 2018 Tropical Cyclone Gita.

"In terms of climate change, it is a problem that is not getting smaller and it is a problem that I think will happen year, after year, after year in the future," Salausa added.