This report was issued by OCHA New York, with inputs from OCHA Fiji and the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. It covers the period from 16 to 21 October. This is the last situation report in this series.
I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES
- All immediate humanitarian needs are being addressed in Samoa and Tonga.
- Water and sanitary facilities for the displaced population remain a priority in Samoa.
- In Samoa, a shelter/housing design was agreed and the first shelter-building phase for 425 extended families will start by 23 October.
- As the immediate needs of the affected population have been met, the Government of Tonga is moving from emergency response to recovery. A draft Early Recovery Strategic Framework will be presented on 23 October.
II. Situation Overview
Samoa
The official death toll stands at 143, with five people missing. An estimated 4,500 people have been directly affected by the tsunami, most of who are displaced. The situation is gradually shifting from emergency phase to early recovery. In the meantime, access to sufficient water for the displaced population is identified as a problem by the water sector. Strategic planning is underway to address this issue. Sanitation also remains a concern and building of pit latrines is ongoing as a priority short-term intervention. The early-recovery cluster is currently finalizing the Early Recovery Framework for final submission to the Government on 26 October, integrating comments from Government ministries.
Tonga
Nine people died and seven were seriously injured as a result of the tsunami that struck the northern island of Niuatoputapu. The Government has released its disaster assessment report and estimates the total cost of damage as Tongan Pa'anga 18.2 million (approximately US$9.5 million).
The emergency response is now in its final phase of moving to the recovery phase. The National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) reports that sufficient emergency shelter, food, water and clothing have been delivered to meet the immediate and short-term needs. The New Zealand vessel HMNZS Canterbury has delivered additional relief supplies to Niuatoputatu. Personnel from the Canterbury supported the clean-up on shore and provided health support.
A draft Early Recovery Strategic Framework will be presented to the Government on 23 October. The Government established four thematic working groups to facilitate strategic planning: livelihoods; health, water and sanitation; early-warning systems; and resettlement.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.