American Samoa, 2015

Rip Current in American Samoa, December 28, 2015

December 28, 2015 · NWS ASO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

The Talanei News reported a drowning incident of a 31 year old male near the village of Faleasao during the afternoon time. Hazardous seas and surfs were results of an active monsoonal trough that moved near the east of Manu'a.

The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS ASO wrote it up.

The Talanei News reported a drowning incident of a 31 year old male near the village of Faleasao during the afternoon time. Hazardous seas and surfs were results of an active monsoonal trough that moved near the east of Manu'a. There were Advisories for high surf and small craft that were issued for all of American Samoa prior to this tragedy. The Department of Police Service dispatcher confirmed that the body of the victim has not been recovered.

Event by event

1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.

Rip Current, Manu'A

When
December 28, 3:00 PM SST to 4:00 PM SST
Where
Manu'A forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
Law Enforcement

The Department of Public Safety dispatcher confirmed a drowning incident of a male fisherman in his early 30s on December 28th. The victim was swept to sea and his boy has not been recovered. Strong swells and hazardous seas have prevented the Search and Rescue team from conducting their services to find the missing man. The Advisories for small craft and high surf were issued prior to this unfortunate tragedy. A strong monsoonal trough near the east of Manu'a was responsible for strong gusty winds...hazardous surfs and swells.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Rip Current, Manu'A2015-12-2831MaleIn WaterDirect

What these are

Rip Current
A narrow, fast current flowing away from the beach that caused a drowning or rescue.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in American Samoa in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in American Samoa, December 2015

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 606328.