Solomon Islands Floods April 2014

Solomon Islands Floods

RI Regional Office 9 April

As you may be aware, the Solomon Islands (District 9600) have been severely impacted by flooding that occurred earlier this month. Estimates are that 23 people have died and 9,000 are homeless as a result of the combination of flash floods, landslides and strong winds in the capital Honiara.

The current concern is over sanitation at the 24 evacuation centres, which are lacking proper water supply, in Honiara alone. There is a very real risk of an outbreak of disease – including dysentery, malaria, dengue fever and other sanitation related diseases. There has been a major loss of infrastructure, including water, electricity, roads and bridges.

Estimates are that some 40,000 people in more rural Guadalcanal have also been impacted by this disaster; however this area is more difficult to access and assess.

If the clubs in your district are interested in providing support, please contact DG Trevor Taylor at trevortaylor2003@hotmail.com rather than trying to make contact with clubs and individuals in the Solomon Islands. The district will then be able to coordinate the assistance that is required, and make sure that it gets to where it is needed.

The District Governor would like assistance from outside. The District has started a Disaster Fund for this Purpose, so will be able to give receive donations. The Details of the account will be available shortly.

District Governor Trevor has been in close contact with the people there, and they are having a meeting tonight to discuss the situation, and work out a plan to proceed with all the assistance they can.

The Government has started a plan to look after the Evacuation Centres, so that is a good start.

Please communicate with the District Governor before sending any items please. Sending items that are not required could cause a burden rather than be an assistance. Please check with the District Governors team please.

Regional Public Image Resources Blog 13 April

This disaster is looking like the biggest in the region since the Tsunami that struck Samoa in 2009.

There is a desperate need for basics such as kitchen utensils. There are none available in any of the stores there, and people whilst they can cook on open fires, have nothing to cook in. In fact there is little basic stock of anything available and if there were, the people most affected have no money to purchase.

12,000 people in evacuation centres have nothing to return home to. Chaos abounds in the sector with some agencies trying to shut others out.....no coordination...... no management - just self interest.