Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has declared a 30-day state of emergency after the country’s main island, Upolu, was hit by serious power blackouts.
The emergency, which began on Monday, will last until April 29.
Electricity problems have affected homes, schools, and businesses since February. Power is being rationed, meaning people only get electricity for part of the day. The trouble started when a main underground cable between two power plants broke. Bad weather also damaged power lines, and three big backup generators stopped working.
The power crisis has made life difficult for everyone, including students and business owners. Even large building projects have been delayed.
Samoa’s Finance Minister supported the emergency decision, saying it would help the country receive aid from partners around the world. The Samoa Observer newspaper also agreed, saying the problem is too big for the country to handle alone.
To help fix the issue, large generators from overseas are expected to arrive on April 5. New permanent ones should be ready by August.
Prime Minister Fiame explained that the government is working to protect people’s health and keep important services like hospitals running. She also shared that the crisis could cost Samoa up to 16% of its total economy.
The emergency is a temporary step while the country works to restore full power to the island.
