Disaster Management Committee urges the public to to be extra cautious during this time of cyclone season and climate change.

The warning comes after a number of tragic incidents at sea and rivers in recent weeks, largely due to members of the public failing to follow advisories issued by the National Emergency Committee.

Speaking to the media the Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Tanuvasa confirmed several incidents reported over the past week, these include a man from Salelavalu who went fishing and remains missing, and another similar case involving a man from Tiavea who also went out fishing and did not return home.

“O le masina ua tuanai faapea foi lenei masina o loo maitauina le tulai mai pea o faalavelave, e pei ona iai nisi na aafia i le sami, ma i latou o faia le galuega masani i fagotaga, e le gata i Savaii ae faapea foi Upolu..

“Lea sa iai le faalavelave i le afioaga o Salelavalu, faapea foi i Upolu i le afioaga o Ti’avea, lea foi la sa tali atu iai le Pulega [o le FESA] ma le Matagaluega o Leoleo i le taumafai lea e sailia i latou.”

Last weekend, a 19-year-old boy drowned at Sauniatu, and just on Thursday afternoon, a man from Lauliʻi drowned in a creek.

“E faapena foi i le faaiuga o le vaiaso e leo toe po malaē i se tasi o faalavelave lea sa iai se tasi o alo ma fanau sa aafia ai ina ua tetele tafega i vai.”

Acting Police Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga stressed that many of these accidents happen when people ignore official advisories issued by relevant authorities.

“O le mea mautinoa o loo iai le tali atu a leoleo ma le vaega o le Tineimu i faalavelave e tupu mai.

Leiataua said the public are already aware that Samoa has cyclone season which bring floodings and bad weather and therefore villages should enforce their rules to ban people from going swimming or fishing.

“Ua masani le tatou atunuu e iai vaitau o tafega, o le taimi e loulouā ai le tau, o loo silafia e nuu taitasi ina ia faamalosia tulafono o nuu faasa vaitafe ona toe faaaoga e le mamalu lautele, aemaise foi o le fesoasoani a loulouā le tau ia faasa foi ona toe fagogota le gataifale auā e toe maua isi i’a i le isi aso lagi lelei ae le toe maua le soifua.”

He said emergency services never want to respond to such incidents, as the outcomes are often tragic.

“O le matou tali atu e 100pasene, ae o le mea lea matou te mananao ai ia aua nei tali atu, o lona uiga ua mafua ona tali atu ua le usitaia e le toatele vaega e tatau ona fai i le saogalemu o tagata.”

Leiataua also reminded the public that under the Disaster Management Act police have the authority to charge individuals who fail to comply with official safety advisories.

“I lalo o le tulafono, e iai le malosiaga o le tulafono e molia ai latou e le usitaia faatonuga na avatu e avatu i lalo o le Komiti o Puipuiga mo Faalavelave Faafuasei lea, o lona uiga a alu atu loa faatonuga ae le usitaia o loo mafai ona fai ai moliaga.

“Ae o moliaga o le mea mulimuli, ao le saogalemu o le mea muamua.”

He is urging the public to prioritise their safety, noting that fishing or swimming can be done another day — but a life lost cannot be replaced.

“Afai o faafofoga mai le atunuu aemaise o le paia o afioaga uma, ua le toe tutusa lenei vaitau ma suiga o tala o le tau.”

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