It's unclear who called for an “evacuation” near Port and Airport

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Director for the Homeland Security, Samana Semo Ve’ave’a has publicly apologized to members of the public for the “confusion” after the bomb threat, which led to evacuating people from their offices near the Port and Airport.

He said the Emergency Operationd Center (EOC) did not issue a directive to “evacuate” members of the public whose offices were in the proximity of the Port and Airport.

The apology was rendered via email in response to questions from Samoa News.

“I am not sure either who gave the word to evacuate.

“The EOC did not, all I want[ed] to evacuate is the Airport and Port. Sorry for the confusion,” said the Director.

Samana did not reply to questions regarding how the “threat” was made to the Government. People in the town area were told to evacuate at 11:30 a.m.

The EOC issued an “all clear” special bulletin to a bomb threat against the territory, one hour after evacuating people in close proximity to the Port and the Airport.

In town, everyone in the Samoa News building were told to leave, including the owner and staff of a barber shop and restaurant on the first floor.

Outside and downstairs of the SN building, police officers refused to relay any information to the public as to why they were being evacuated. The response by one of the officers to queries was “just do as you’re told”.

The evacuation expanded from the Samoa News building, which is across from the Port Administration area, to the Lumana’i Building, which houses a number of Government offices and the US Postal Service. This led to the closing of the offices as they were told to evacuate the building.

Seen at the Port were police officers and firemen, along with Port officials. Roads were blocked on both sides as vehicles were told to turn around.

It is unclear as to how the bomb threat was delivered, as questions for comments sent to the Department of the Homeland Security were not answered as of press time.

The ASDHS TEMCO Special Bulletin said in part, “The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) would like to inform the public that after a joint effort from our Government Agencies that responded to the BOMB Threat — It is Official that there is no threat.”