Integrated Flood Management to Enhance Climate Resilience of the Vaisigano River Catchment in Samoa

Helping climate proof Samoa’s capital.

Samoa’s economy and its people’s livelihoods have been heavily impacted by increasingly severe tropical storms. For instance, the total economic impact of Cyclone Evan which hit Samoa in late 2012 was estimated at 40 percent of the country’s GDP at the time. This reflected the undoing of years of economic gains in infrastructure development. Projected climate change scenarios indicate Samoa is destined to endure further severe climate impacts, including more frequent and extreme rainfall and wind events and sea level rise.

This project will enable the Government of Samoa to reduce the effect of recurrent flood-related impacts in the Vaisigano River catchment, which flows through the area of the national capital Apia. Recent extreme weather events in this region have resulted in approximately USD 200 million worth of damage during each event.

This project will strengthen adaptive capacity and reduce exposure to climate risks faced by vulnerable communities and infrastructure in the Vaisigano River catchment. This region is home to Samoa’s highest concentration of public infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and government buildings; as well as private homes and businesses.

Specifically, this project will aid the Government of Samoa enhance its capacities and information base to pursue an integrated approach to reducing vulnerability to flood-related risks; flood-proof key infrastructure in the Vaisigano River catchment; and upgrade downstream areas to increase river capacity and allow for the more rapid outflow of flood waters.

The project has an estimated lifespan of 25 years.