Pago Pago Harbor is surrounded and sheltered by mountains such as Mount Alava , Mount Matafao and Rainmaker Mountain ( Mount Pioa ) . The harbor is all that remains from the volcanic crater that built Tutuila Island . At some point , one wall of the crater collapsed and the sea came rushing in creating a near complete shelter from the wrath of the sea at large . Fagatogo was struck by a tsunami on 29 September 2009 , causing damage and rock slides . A significant amount of debris and oil were dumped into Pago Pago Harbor during the 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami , which devastated communities along the harbor 's coastline , including Pago Pago . Debris including cars , household items , and boats were thrown into the harbor by the force of the wave . According to the 14-page American Samoan government report , '' Post-Tsunami Coastal Resource Damage Assessment '' , " The inner section of Pago Pago Harbor is severely polluted and will require an extensive cleanup program with a significant amount of manpower ... The destruction is everywhere . " An oil spill approximately 40 feet wide occurred at the mouth of Pago Pago Harbor as a result of the tsunami . Barrels containing fuel were thrown into the harbor by the tsunami and washed up on shore
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
Pago Pago Harbor