OCHA Situation Report No. 14
South Pacific: Tsunami
16 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 increased from 40 to 52, which now 
includes 33 fatalities in Gizo alone. The GoSI estimates that 475 
households have been affected. Due to access difficulties, many 
communities remain without proper shelter and water supply. The overall 
picture of the humanitarian and rehabilitation needs in the 
tsunami-affected areas is still being defined.

3. Aftershocks are continuing, which is delaying the return of 
tsunami-affected communities to their home villages. Seismologists have 
indicated that another major earthquake in the western Solomon Islands 
is very unlikely.

4. The GoSI Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources reported that the 
tsunami caused considerable coastal erosion in the vicinity of Sasamunga 
(Choiseul Island) and alteration, which has both increased and decreased 
sea levels in many coastal regions. In many of these areas, fish and 
other marine organisms were killed due to shock wave and being washed 
ashore.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

5. The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, accompanied 
by the NDC chairman Fred Fakari'i and other high-level government 
officials, departed for a six-day visit to the tsunami-affected areas. 
The mission visited Gizo and Ranongga on 15 April and will travel to 
Vella La Vella, Simbo, Shortland Islands, Choiseul and Munda before 
returning to Honiara on 20 April.

6. Tsunami-affected villages in the Choiseul Island have set up Village 
Disaster Committees (VDC) to assist in collection of information on 
humanitarian and reconstruction needs. However, Choiseul Province has no 
staffing and logistical capacity to assist the VDCs and have requested 
assistance from the NDMO in Gizo.

7. The Malaitian community from the Malaita Province and Honiara 
launched a fundraising effort to assist the tsunami-affected communities 
in the Western and Choiseul Provinces.

III. IN-COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

8. In preparation for the departure of the UNDAC team from the Solomon 
Islands on 19 April, the UNDAC coordination team based in Gizo is 
returning to Honiara on 15-16 April. Some UNDAC members will leave the 
country already on 15-17 April. The UNDAC team will hand-over part of 
its humanitarian coordination duties to the staff of OCHA's Regional 
Disaster Response Adviser Office, who will arrive in Honiara from Fiji 
on 18 and 20 April and be present for 2-3 weeks. UNDP, through its 
Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) will assist the 
Government in the coordination of recovery efforts.

9. The final UNDAC Field Situation report will be issued on 18 April.

IV. INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

10. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has offered assistance 
to the Solomon Islands to restore damaged hydrometeorological stations.

V. TRANSITION TO RECOVERY

11. The NDC Technical Advisory Team, headed by the Permanent Secretary 
for Development Planning, met in Honiara on 16 April.

This situation report, together with further information on ongoing 
emergencies, is also available on the OSOCC Internet Website 
http://ocha.unog.ch/virtualosocc 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

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