OCHA Situation Report
South Pacific: Tsunami
15 April 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from the National
Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and National Disaster Council (NDC) of
the Solomon Islands, UNDAC Team in the Solomon Islands, the UNDP Deputy
Resident Representative in Fiji, OCHA Offices in Fiji, Papua New Guinea
and Bangkok, UN agencies, NGOs, donors and media sources.

SITUATION

1. An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale struck 345km
northwest of the Solomon Islands' capital Honiara at 0740 local time on
02 April. (2040 GMT 01 April). The earthquake created a tsunami causing
casualties and significant damage to the Solomon Islands. Affected area
includes Gizo, Simbo, Ranogga, Shortland Islands, Munda, Noro, Vella la
Vella, Kolombangarra and parts of the southern coast of Choiseul. Gizo,
Simbo Island, western coast of Ranongga and the central southern coast
of Choiseul between Moli, Posarae and Sasamunga are worst - affected
areas.

2. The official casualty figure has been increased to 40. Four more
death cases are being investigated; six persons are still declared
missing. The GoSI estimates that 475 households have been affected.
Seismologists declared that another major earthquake in the western
Solomon Islands is very unlikely.

3. Tsunami - affected communities are reportedly slowly resuming their
day - to - day routine, although return to the villages located at the
seashore is very slow. Residents of the worst - affected areas are
likely to remain in the IDP camps longer than it was initially expected.
Some displaced consider building their houses in less vulnerable
locations, which may result in land disputes. Shelter remains a key
challenge. UNICEF, based on its assessment of IDP camps, warned that the
health situation may deteriorate unless urgent action is undertaken.

4. The Ministry of Health (MOH) completed assessment of 14 villages in
Choiseul, Simbo, Shortland, Ranongga and Vella La Vella islands. In
Choiseul, a temporary health clinic is run in Sasamunga village
(population: 3,000) as the local health facility has been destroyed by
the tsunami. Cases of pneumonia, diarrhoea and wound sepsis among
children were recorded and the local water supply is damaged. Malaria is
also becoming an issue as most of the tsunami victims do not have bed
nets. In Samasunga and Posarae villages, the residents are camping in
the high ground and are afraid to resume agricultural work and fishing.
Villagers fetch water from local streams, close to their encampments.
Sanitation situation was inadequate in both locations. Both communities
camp out under plastic sheets. Residents of Sasumunga were in need of
additional food assistance.

5. In Ranongga Island, the MOH assessment team registered cases of
malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia, especially among the tsunami victims
camping in the higher ground. Residents of four villages assessed were
found living in the high ground and unwilling to return home due to fear
of another tsunami. The clinics in Lale and Pienuna villages were
destroyed by the tsunami, forcing the medical staff to see their
patients in makeshift conditions. Two functioning clinics (Mondo and
Koriovuku) had very limited supply of drugs. All assessed communities
did not have a safe water supply or adequate sanitation. Plastic
sheeting was generally available, with the exemption of Mondo village.
Some villages requested additional food assistance.

6. In Vella La Vella island, the MOH team assessed five villages.
Diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, scabies, pneumonia and ARI were registered,
especially among the children. In two villages (Varese and Boro),
population resides in high ground. All assessed communities are still
afraid of another earthquake and tsunami. Three clinics functioning in
the area recorded shortages of drugs and ORS sachets. Like on other
islands, the population uses plastic sheets for shelter, although at
least in two villages (Boro and Sambora) many tsunami victims lived
without any shelter materials. Shortage of bed nets was recorded in
almost all locations. At least two villages (Boro and Vonunu) required
additional supply of food.

7. The MOH team assessed also Toumoa villages in the Shortland islands.
Local clinic and water supply was destroyed and the population was found
living in the open space and in a partially - built church. Damage to
the livelihoods in the Shortland islands was lower then in the islands
closer to the earthquake epicentre: approximately 95% of gardens on the
outer islands are undamaged.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

8. A Donor meeting was held at the NDMO on 14 April, chaired by the NDC
Chairman Fred Fakari=A1Ci. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will brief the
Donor Group upon his return from the tsunami - affected areas.

9. The Provincial Disaster Committee (PDC) Secretariat in Gizo confirmed
it will lead the coordination of the relief effort, with support from
the NDC and NDMO.

10. Solomon Islands Red Cross is shipping NFIs (200 tarpaulins, 20
tents, 1000 kitchen sets, 1000 hygiene sets) to the tsunami - affected
areas. Separate supply of NFIs was sent by the Church of Melanesia.
"Lauru People Association" is working on restoration of
telecommunication facilities in the Choiseul Island. "SWIM Solomon
Islands" is providing assistance in housing reconstruction in Ringi
Cove, Kolombangara and Titiana. "Aba Store" donated food valued over
$22,000 for affected communities in the Choiseul Island.

III. IN - COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

11. As the relief operation in Gizo begins to wind down, the frequency
of inter - agency coordination meetings has been reduced to one a day.
Transition arrangements are being put in place to transition all
coordination functions to an appropriate GoSI agency before the Gizo -
based UNDAC Team departs for Honiara on 16 April.

12. World Vision dispatched a supply of food and assorted NFIs
(household kits, baby and women's kits, water systems, pipes, chain
saws, buckets) to the tsunami - affected areas.

13. Oxfam - led construction of latrines in the IDP camps near Gizo is
delayed by unavailability of trucks. Only 20 latrines were completed to
- date; at least 140 more are needed. In parallel, the NGO is stepping -
up its hygiene promotion activities.

14. Save the Children Australia is providing trauma counselling to the
population of Gizo, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women,
Children and Youth Affairs.

IV. INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

15. A New Zealand Air Force C - 130 Hercules is to transport an x - ray
machine, 100 shelter kits and other supplies on 15 April.

16. A trauma counselling team from Papua New Guinea is expected to
arrive in the Solomon Islands on the same day.

V. TRANSITION TO RECOVERY

17. The GoSI requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to coordinate
infrastructure rehabilitation, in cooperation with JICA and NZAID. Japan
is to dispatch a technical mission to identify urgent reconstruction
needs.

18. The Technical Advisory Team (TAT) met under the chairmanship of Jane
Waetara, Permanent Secretary, Development Planning, on 14 April. The TAT
will develop a Recovery Action Plan for the Western and Choiseul
provinces, in cooperation with UNDP. The TAT established subcommittees
on Water and Sanitation, Shelter, Education, Infrastructure, Agriculture
(food security) and Communications. The next TAT meeting will take place
on 16 April.

19. The office of UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Samoa is
offered its assistance in recovery of the agriculture and fisheries
sector.

This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OSOCC Internet Website
http://www.unocha.org/vosocc and on the OCHA Internet Website
http://www.reliefweb.int/.

UNDAC Team Contact Details:

UNDAC Team leader
Location: National Disaster Management Office, Honiara
Office +677 27 837, +677 27 051
Mobile +677 88716, +677 88718
e-mail: undacsi@gmail.com

UNDAC Field Team, Gizo
Location: Provincial Administrators Office for NDMO,
Mobile +677 88 697, +677 88 696
Satellite +870 764 130894
e-mail: undacgizo@gmail.com

For detailed information please contact:

OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Bangkok)

  Mr. Rajan Gengaje, Regional Disaster Response Adviser
  Tel.  + 66-2288-2572
  Fax:  +66-2288-1043
  Mob. + 66-8-1916-1271
  e-mail: gengaje@un.org

Desk Officers:
  NYC - Mr. Wojtek Wilk (desk officer for SI earthquake and tsunami)
   Tel. +1-917 367 9748
   e-mail: wilkw@un.org
  GVA - Mr. Erik Kastlander
   Tel. +41-22-917 1587

Press contact:
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel. +1-917 367 5126
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917 2653

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -