Posted: October 20, 2009 | Author: PacificEyeWitness.com | Filed under: NZPacific | Tags: aleipata., boomerang creek, disaster, earthquake, Emergencies And Disasters, emergency, homeless in samoa, lupesina beach fales, pacific news, salaepaga tsunami, samoa survivors living in mountains, samoa tsunami, strength, Village |
Lupesina owners Carol and Jack Batchelor emailed pacificEyeWitness.org this week with an update at our request. Thank you very much. We conveyed the concerns and love expressed by readers to our email. We are conscious that this resort,was not among the lucky ones who escaped death. They suffered loss of life with 8 of their 12 staff killed in the tsunami. Some of those bodies are still missing, presumed dead.
At this stage, there is no re-opening date for Lupesina. Keep checking their website for updates. They will not be returning to rebuild at the exisiting location where they were located when the tsunami hit. Instead, they are now looking at a couple of sites and will provide more information and updates on their website, when they know.
Their resort Lupesina, in the village of Salaepaga, employed about 12 local Samoans. The four surviving staff members “have all moved up to their plantations on the hill and have started to rebuild up there.”
They say: “None will be returning to their previous home locations, at this time.”
Their message to pacificEyeWitness.org readers?
“We need to educate not only islanders , but tourist. If you are staying on an ocean front and you feel an earth quake, DO NOT WAIT FOR A BELL OR AN ALARM – RUN UP HILL. Have your escape route mapped out before you even check in, because when it happens it happens very quickly and then there is no time to escape.”
“We would also like to give thanks to God Almighty for saving us during this disaster and covering us with HIS grace and peace.”
Posted: October 17, 2009 | Author: PacificEyeWitness.com | Filed under: Analysis, Breaking News, Business, Community, Current, Earthquake Tsunami Samoa/AmSampa 09, Environment, Fono Notices, NZPacific, South Pacific Region, Tourism | Tags: aganoa surf retreat savaii, aufaga, available accommodation samoa, beach fales, boomerang creek beach fales, coconut beach resort, faofao beach fales, iliili resort, lalomanu, le vasa resort, Lepa, litia sini beach fales, lupesina beach fales, maninoa surf camp, manono island samoa, manusina beach fales, namu'a beach fales, namu'a island samoa, pacific news, paradise cove samoa, romeo's beach fales, saanapa, salaepaga, salani, salani surf resort, samoa tourism, samoa tourism authority, samoa tsunami, seabreeze resort, sieni beach fales, sinalei reef resort, siutaufogapapa beach fales, South Coast, taufua beach fales, tsunami, valengina's beach fales, vavau beach bungalows, village of maninoa, village of siumu, village of vavau, virgin cove |
This update is in response to emails received. Please read in full for information on all affected tourist properties.
Before the earthquake and tsunami hit the South Coast of Upolu in Samoa on Tuesday 29th September, Samoa offered close to 100 choices of tourist accommodation. From luxury hotels and resorts, to standard and budget hotels, and, of course, the beach fales.
After the tsunami struck, 19 tourist places, including popular resorts and beach fales along the South Coast of Upolu, were left severely damaged or destroyed. They represent about a fifth of Samoa’s available tourist accommodation. The South Coast bore the brunt of the tsunami’s fury with the nearby islands of Manono and Namu’a also facing severe damage. Upolu’s northern coast, where Apia is situated, was left alone by the tsunami. The island of Sava’ii was not unscathed by the sea affecting one tourist operation. Tourist accommodation in those areas continue to operate.
Samoa’s Tourism Authority has issued the following list of hotels, resorts and beach fales that are temporarily closed. pacificEyeWitness.org has included the names of the village in which each property is located, where known:
- Coconuts Beach Club, Resort & Spa
Scheduled to open 1st February 2010
(Village of Siumu)
- Maninoa Surf Camp & Beach Fales
Click here for update
(Village of Maninoa)
- Sinalei Reef Resort
Re-opening 1st November 2009
(Village of Siumu)
- Iliili Resort
(Village of Saleilua, Falealili)
- Salani Surf Resort
(Village of Salani)
- Vavau Beach Bungalows
(Village of Vavau)
- Seabreeze Resort, Paradise Cove
(Village of Aufaga)
- Lupesina Beach Resort (formerly Boomerang Creek)
(Village of Salaepaga)
8 out of 12 employees at Lupesina died in the tsunami.
- Faofao Beach Fales
(Village of Salaepaga)
To help Faofao Beach Fales, click here
- Taufua Beach Fales
(Village of Lalomanu)
- Litia Sini Beach Resort
(Village of Lalomanu)
- Namu’a Beach Fales
(Namu’a Island)
- Vaotuua Beach Fales
(Manono Island)
- Sieni Beach Fales
(Village of Lalomanu)
- Sina PJ Beach Fales
(Village of Tafitoala, Safata)
Day Stays only
- Siutaufogapapa Beach Fales
- Valengina’s Beach Fales
- Romeo’s Beach Fales
(Village of Lalomanu)
- Manusina Beach Fales
(Village of Salaepaga)
A few properties in neighboring areas such as Virgin Cove, in the village of Saanapu, Le Vasa Resort on Upolu and Aganoa Surf Retreat in Savaii are still operating, despite facing some degree of damage.
For further updates, please click on the name of the properties in this post to go to its websites or visit the Samoan Tourism Authority
Archives to March 2010 - PEW 
Your Words