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Solomon Islands

Eight days on – More help trickles in

Posted Fri, 2013-02-15 10:09 by George Herming

Eight days on after a devastating tsunami that ravaged parts of Santa Cruz Island in Temotu Province, more help continues to trickle in as aid workers from both the government and NGO’s work around the clock to ensure victims are provided with the most needed help in their communities.

As relief efforts and damage assessment continues on the ground, official reports and data compiled by the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Headquarters in Honiara confirmed a total of 10 deaths, 615 homes damaged and a total 2434 people homeless.

At the heart of emergency response coordinating in partnership with humanitarian agencies such as the Red Cross, World Vision and Save the Children is the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) whose tireless efforts and response to the deadly disaster is beginning to bring life in the affected communities to normalcy.

NDMO is also working around the clock coordinate and manage the collection of donations and aid from all over the world to help the affected communities.

Now Eight Days after the dooms day in Temotu’s history, the inter-agency through the assessment, information and data provided by NDMO officers in Lata continues to work to help those most affected people rebuild their lives.

NDMO Director Mr Loti Yates says with the team on the ground his office and their inter-agency partners are able to access the information which now set the framework to make sure that the relief supplies are properly managed and make sure victims’ needs are addressed properly.

The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre in Lata has been activated and providing updates to the National Emergency Operations Centre in Honiara.

From reports and assessments from PEOC to NEOC, Santa Cruz area was declare as disaster stricken area by the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Hon Bradley Tovosia.

Local geologist/seismologist were also deployed to Lata to assess and monitor Tinakula volcano and currently the Initial Damage Assessment in affected areas is completed, while a Detailed Sector Assessment team deployed to affected areas are yet to finalized the DSA report.

Also donors, corporate companies, business houses, organization, churches, groups and individuals donated goods and money towards the relief & rehabilitation efforts.