Savai'i has been hit by flash flooding and engulfed by rising waters with authorities issuing heavy rain and marine advisory as villagers including a politician rescued stricken residents. 

The flash flooding on Thursday has already affected the big island's infrastructure network and damaged roads in some parts of the island and forced the closure of schools. 

The village of Sapapali'i was at the centre of the storm with residents posting pictures and videos of the deluge with flood waters reaching close to a metre high. The public was advised not to access the Sapapali'i bridge in the early hours of Thursday. 

Access to the ford at Sapapali'i for public transport was halted when the river flooded its banks, only this time the entire village including the houses of residents in the coastal area were flooded. Access to and use of the Sapapali'i ford was also closed due to the bad weather.

Social media posts by residents in Savai'i showed untitled men of the village risking their lives to try and assist motorists who tried to cross the road. A white pickup truck was also swept away by the flood waters and got stuck in the drain with a video showing the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly trying to pull out the truck.

Using his own Toyota Land Cruiser, Papali'i Li'o Ta'eu Masipau asked the boys from the village to get a rope tied to the white pickup to enable him to attempt to pull it out of the drain. A live-stream video by a resident showed the MP's daughter urging him to forget about the rescue job and return home as it was not safe. 

Further down from Sapapali'i, photos and videos from people residing in Saipipi show that the whole village was covered with water. The water even entered some of the houses within the village, especially those living near the sea. The overflowing river banks also destroyed the main road in Saipipi, making it harder for any car to cross to the other side. 

The water covered the entire village with families evacuating to higher grounds and taking their vehicles further inland because it was safe. The Tofa Rosa residence was swept by the water with members of the house trying to collect their furniture and other belongings that were swept away.

The untitled men from Saipipi also assisted other residents in Savai'i who were stuck on the road in their vehicles when the river banks burst. They were seen carrying an elderly woman from a car that almost got swept away by the flooding. The flash flooding also forced the schools around the area to close down for the day. 

The Land, Transport Authority (L.T.A.) immediately alerted residents in Savai'i that the road in Saipipi was damaged and "inaccessible". This was also the same for the village of Lano, which is located further down from Saipipi. The Lano ford has a history of causing disruption over the years during the rainy seasons and bad weather conditions. 

The L.T.A. on its official Facebook page on Thursday advised of the condition of the roads and fords on Savai'i. They said fords in Sasina, Tapueleele, Lano and Sapapali'i were not accessible and urged members of the public in Savai'i to refrain from crossing as it was unsafe. They also urged members of the public to be cautious when driving as the roads were foggy and had poor visibility.

The new road at Salelologa near the market was also flooded with employees of Ott Construction seen clearing road debris for motorists' safety. The heavy downpour on Thursday also delayed the inter-island ferry service. 

In 2021 the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Va'ai revealed plans to build a bridge at Sapapali'i, saying it was a top priority for the Government.