Hurricane and High Surf in American Samoa, February 14 to 18, 2005

Hurricane Olaf, a Category 5, had sustained maximum winds of "160 mph and gusts to 190 mph. Waves up to 40 feet high hit some islands." Olaf made landfall over Manu'a Islands, causing severe damages to homes, crops, and highways on February 16th. Vicious surf associated with Hurricane Olaf erroded a highway in Tau village, also storm surge of 8 to 12 feet reached residential homes within 300 to 400 feet from shore. Large coral rocks were piled in homes and a village church as a result of a storm surge near northeast facing shores. There were no injuries reported.

During Hurricane Olaf, the Weather Service Office in Tafuna recorded maximum winds of 44 mph with gusts to 50 mph between February 15th and 16th. Rooftops of less than 10 homes in Tutuila were damaged by Hurricane Olaf. No injuries reported.

A 68-foot vessel was afloat within 50 miles north of Manu'a, "disabled with no steering wheel but had power." The crew member were not injured by high swells generated by Hurricane Olaf. The Associated Press reported a vessel sank on February 16th in "50-foot waves and 120 mph winds about 95 miles north of American Samoa and the four rescued crew members were on a life raft when they were found." There were reports about other missing vessels based in Western Samoa, but were later found by Coast Guards and Rescue Team from New Zealand. No death reported.