New Zealand is to provide another half a million US dollars to Samoa to help it build resilience to cyclones and other natural hazards.
Flooding around the urban areas in the capital, Apia. Photo: Samoa Disaster Management office
The US$550,000 package was to go towards work on improving early warning systems, and training and equipment for Samoa's emergency operations centre.
New Zealand's Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye, during a visit to Samoa, said the assistance would further strengthen Samoa's disaster risk management programme.
She said New Zealand was committed to supporting Samoa because the two countries had a shared history and close cultural and people ties
Ms Kaye said Investing in good disaster risk management was one of the most important things that could be done to save lives and enable economies to recover.
Samoa has experienced three severe tropical cyclones in the last 15 years and seven years ago a tsunami destroyed whole villages on Upolu and killed 189 people.
The minister said New Zealand's help in installing 23 tsunami warning sirens on Upolu's south coast was significant.