Heavy rains through Tuesday in French Polynesia brought severe flooding to the islands of Tahiti and Moorea.
Thousands were without power and many were evacuated to higher ground. The flooding caused extensive damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure, triggered landslides and forced the closure of the international airport due to a flooded runway, according to numerous news outlets including ABC.net.au.
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Several people were injured, but there was no loss of life, according to government officials.
Of the 276,000 residents on the island of Tahiti, the most populous island in French Polynesia, 19,000 are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church also has missionaries serving in Tahiti and throughout the rest of the country.
According to Hans Sorensen, manager of Welfare Services for the Pacific Area of the Church, members and missionaries are safe and no Church buildings were damaged. “About 80 Church member homes were damaged,” he said.
Church members and missionaries are helping clean up the damage and assisting both members of the Church and others whose homes were impacted by the floods.