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Cyclone Rene claimed at least one life as it pounded into American Samoa on Friday, officials said.
The cyclone was packing winds of 50 miles (80 kilometres) an hour with gusts up to 90 miles an hour as it hit American Samoa, forcing the closure of Pago Pago International Airport as well as government departments and schools.
Forecasters said neighbouring South Pacific island nations Samoa and Tonga were also in the path of Rene which was expected to worsen from a category one to a category two cyclone on a five-point scale.
The eye of the storm was expected to pass over the main American Samoa island of Tutuila at 9:00pm (0800 GMT) and forecasters warned all residents to remain indoors until it passed.
In the town of Ottoville a maintenance worker was killed when he fell from a three-story building while securing the property from the cyclone.
Apartment residents told KHJ News that an 11-year-old boy was walking on the road when he saw the man fall from the roof.
Elsewhere, several trees and roofs were blown away but there were no other reports of death or injury as the storm intensified.
"The winds are getting stronger, I would say about 50 miles an hour. Trees are down but no damage to homes yet," said Ale Filoialii on outer Ta'u Island.
