The Government through the Land Transport Authority (L.T.A.) are working on a project with the World Bank to stabilise mountain slopes at Le Mafa on eastern Upolu to prevent  landslides.

This follows a recent landslide at Le Mafa which threatened to block the road and restrict access for motorists before L.T.A issued a temporary closure.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer on Wednesday, the L.T.A Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.), Galumalemana Titi Tutuvanu-Schwalger explained that the project is currently at its' investigation stage and will soon progress.

"Because yesterday we tried to clear off all the loose material that were up there but remember the rest of that area on the eastern side at Le Mafa, there are always chances of landslides so it's always vulnerable and there will be a risk that there will be a landslide," she said.

"The immediate term itself is we keep monitoring it and anytime there's a landslide we respond to it like the recent landslide which took place on Sunday and by Monday, the vehicles managed to access the road again. 

"But in terms of the long term, we currently have a project with the World Bank who is funding the designs to try and sustain the slopes stablisation."

Through that project, the L.T.A is trying to sustain the vulnerable parts which keep sliding off the mountains and pose risks to motorists

On Monday afternoon, the L.T.A issued a road closure notice for the affected part of the Le Mafa due to the landslide which Galumalemana explained that it was only for a short while to caution the motorists and to let the employees clear off the landslide from the road.

"We're already started the investigation works which are parts of the design funded by the World Bank so hopefully after the designs, then we will start looking for money to start the work," she said.

Meanwhile, the landslide occurred Sunday evening which kept the KLSS construction company employees working at the site until they took a four-hour break in the early hours of Monday morning.