Flash Flood — Tutuila, American Samoa

2025-10-22 · near Vaitogi, Tutuila, American Samoa

Event narrative

Flash flooding occurred along Fagaima Road around midday on October 22nd due to heavy rainfall and storm water drainage issues. NWS employee Brayden Barton provided photos showing significant water intrusion into properties and homes adjacent to the roadway. Saturated grounds from recent rainfall exacerbated runoff and contributed to the flooding.

Wider weather episode

On October 21'22, a subtropical high-pressure system to the south and a near-equatorial ridge to the north combined to enhance a trough over the American Samoa islands. This setup resulted in 6.26 inches of rainfall at WSO Pago Pago over a 48-hour period. With soils already saturated from well-above-average October rainfall and widespread poor stormwater drainage across the territory, impacts were significantly exacerbated. The event led to widespread flash flooding and landslides throughout American Samoa.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (-14.3238, -170.7313)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1298729. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.