By Staff Writer
Members of Parliament in urban electorates are stressed out by repeated flooding in highly prone residential areas of the Apia Township.
MPs Salausa Dr. John Ah Ching of Faleata and Lenata’i Victor Tamapua of Vaimauga appealed in Parliament session this week for relief from the repeated overflow of the Vaisigano and Vaimoso Rivers.
MP Lenata’i agonized at the powerful Vaisigano River crashing over the banks at the Lelata area causing havoc all the way to Fa’atoia, Vaiala and the Apia Park to Moata’a.
“The water overflows from the turn at Lelata inundating the homes and properties in the area as it streams onto the main road all the way out to other residential communities and out to sea,” Lenata’i pointed out in Parliament on Tuesday.
A river protection wall from the mouth of Vaisigano River all the way to the Leone Bridge has brought welcome relief to many of the vulnerable homes and properties all the way to Matautu village and out to sea.
MP Lenata’i pleaded for the wall to be extended several hundred meters all the way to the problem area at Lelata to overcome the flooding.
Plans are however in place already for the wall to be extended to the Lelata Bridge that is scheduled for major construction sometime this year.
Faleata MP Salausa Dr. John Ah Ching would like to see the low riverbanks at the Vaimoso River and its tributaries raised.
“There are also too many twists and turns along the river path that needs engineering work to allow for the water to flow freely rather than build up and flow over the banks,” MP Salausa suggested.
The Apia Park Sports Complex that include tennis courts, international stadium, bowling greens, netball courts and a gymnasium are all at risk of serious damage when the Vaisigano River floods.
The water overflows to the main road and family homes on its way to the sea.
The Vaimoso River either slows or at times halt travel along the main west coast road with many of the families along the riverbanks at Sinamoga up to Moamoa badly affected.
The Minister of Works Papali’i Niko Li Hang is expected to off some consolation with assurances that Government is aware of the problems and of the plans to attend to them.
Climate change has had telling impact on urban Apia with more flooding from heavy rains and overflowing rivers since the cyclone seasons officially started last November.