President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves American Samoa Disaster Declaration

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the territory of American Samoa and ordered Federal assistance to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by high surf, high winds, and flooding from of July 12 to July 15, 2022.

Federal funding is available to the territory and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the high surf, high winds, and flooding in the territory of American Samoa.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures in all areas in the territory of American Samoa.

Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Benigno B. Ruiz as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the territory and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.