Members of Hawaii’s Samoan community monitored news reports and tried to reach family members Thursday in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Evan, which caused widespread damage in Samoa.

There were unconfirmed reports that three people, including two children, had been killed in the storm, which hit Wednesday afternoon Hawaii time.

There were no reports of major damage in American Samoa, but schools were closed and people were preparing in case the storm came ashore there, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

American Samoa was under a gale warning, high-surf warning and flash flood watch.

Honolulu resident Gus Hannemann, a former American Samoa lawmaker, said he is concerned about the situation in the Samoas but will wait to see what happens before organizing a relief effort in the Samoan community here.

"We’ll wait and find out what exactly is going on when everything is settled and see what they need in addition to help from FEMA and Red Cross," he said. "I’ve talked to friends and family (in the Samoas), and they’re doing exactly what they always do, and that’s pray a lot. We’re asking people in Hawaii to pray for the families there."

Hawaiian Airlines canceled its flights to and from American Samoa on Thursday but will resume service with a flight to Pago Pago today at 4:40 p.m.

Ticketed passengers will be permitted to change their reservation without charge provided the changes are made no later than Dec. 24.

The cyclone ripped through the nation of Samoa, flattening homes, uprooting trees and flooding streets.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today that there were reports three people had been killed by Cyclone Evan, but police in Samoa did not immediately confirm that.

The storm lashed Samoa with winds of up to 100 mph. Samoa Observer editor Keni Lesa said the cyclone caused serious damage in the capital, Apia, flinging cars into trees and causing flash floods. Phone lines, Internet service and electricity were down across the country, and the airport was closed.

Lesa says the village of Lelata just outside Apia looks "like a tsunami has struck" it.

The Samoan Disaster Management Office said the two victims in Samoa were apparently children who drowned in a low-lying area of Apia, the website stuff.co.nz said.

The office said the storm surge was at 12 to 15 feet Wednesday.

The cyclone destroyed homes and crops, flooded rivers, toppled trees and power lines, and closed roads in Samoa, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. Apia airport was closed.

The storm is said to be the worst to hit Samoa in 20 years.

"At the moment we are coping," Taulealea Usunai of Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "But in calling for international assistance during the cyclone, it will be difficult to get help into the country because airports are closed and so are the ports."

Evan is the first named cyclone of the South Pacific summer cyclone season.