World Vision has begun preparing relief items to distribute to families affected by the severe Tropical Cyclone Pam in Temotu Province.
More than 5,000 people in Tikopia, Anuta and the Reef Islands have been affected with close to 1,500 homes damaged and livelihoods destroyed.
World Vision is supporting the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and the Solomon Islands Red Cross, to provide relief items to families living in Tikopia and Anuta, the outer islands of Temotu Province.
“At the moment we are preparing our preposition items to distribute once proper assessment is completed,” said Osbert Lalahu, World Vision Solomon Islands (WVSI) Response Manager.
“Three of our staff are part of the assessment team that left Honiara on Saturday to carry out assessment in the outer islands of Temotu.”
World Vision has provided some non-food items such as tarpaulins and jerry cans to Red Cross to fill in some of their stocks so that the items are equally distributed according to the needs found during the assessment.
World Vision hopes to send more relief items in the next shipment which is expected to leave Honiara next week.
“We will be distributing household kits which includes pots, plates, spoons, cups and hygiene kits such as soap, towel, bucket and livelihood kits such as seeds, fertilizer, bush knife, spade, hammer and nails and other relief items including jerry cans and many more, to 305 households, on the second shipment which hopefully will leave next week,” said Mr. Lalahu.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), has contributed NZD $50,000 towards World Vision’s response to Tropical Cyclone Pam in Solomon Islands, as well as providing funds for the replenishment of World Vision’s pre-positioned supplies in Temotu Province.
“We are pleased to be able to support World Vision’s work with Temotu communities to rebuild homes and livelihoods after Tropical Cyclone Pam,” says New Zealand High Commissioner, Marion Crawshaw.
World Vision Solomon Islands has also received USD$25,000 from its support offices of World Vision Australia, WV New Zealand, WV United Kingdom, WV USA and WV Taiwan.
Cyclone Pam started as a tropical depression north east of Temotu Province and grew into a Category 3 cyclone and destroyed the outer islands, before it built up to a Category 5 strength and moved further south towards Vanuatu.
It caused mass destruction in many parts of Vanuatu including the capital city, Port Vila.
World Vision Solomon Islands and World Vision Vanuatu are now working together to share resources and funding from donors to respond to the disaster caused by Cyclone Pam but majority of funding will go to World Vision Vanuatu, where there is the greatest need.
“The impact of Cyclone Pam in our outer islands seems minimal but the long term effect it will have on livelihood in the islands of Temotu especially Anuta, is of great concern to us,” says WVSI Country Director, Mr. Janes Ginting.
“We are grateful for the New Zealand Government support and we look forward to getting more support from other donors to extend the response to other islands also affected by Cyclone Pam.”
