Patients at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara have to be evacuated to the Forum Fisheries Agency headquarter at Kola Ridge following the tsunami warning yesterday morning.
More than 100 patients were evacuated by health authorities when the tsunami warning was issued after the 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits at 7.15 am yesterday morning near 108km south-south east of Kirakira, Makira province.
Most of the patients were old people including children who have expressed their worry after they heard the tsunami warning.
“I am so afraid and worry because my little child is sick and I don’t know how to escape with my sick child. But my worry cools downs when we were evacuated up here (FFA headquarter),” Nelina Mani a mother who was evacuated with her little four month old baby said.
She described the situation as very frightening because she thought of what similar incidents in Western and Temotu province in the past years.
Some patients were taken back home by their relatives for safety.
However the patients were later taken back to the hospital in the afternoon after the tsunami warning was later cancelled.
Meanwhile many people around Honiara have also fled for the higher ground following the warning.
Many residents who planned to attend church services in the morning were forced to remain at home for fear of any tsunami hitting Honiara.
Most of the boats berthing at Honiara’s Point Cruz wharves moved out into open waters for their safety incase of a likely tsunami.
By Daniel Namosuaia