The Solomon Is. floods

Dozens missing in Solomon Islands flash floods

Dozens of people are still missing after flash floods that have killed at least 12 people and left some 10,000 homeless in the Solomon Islands.

BBC,

5 April, 2014

Local media said about 30 people remained unaccounted for following Thursday's flooding.

Much of the capital Honiara was inundated as thousands of people took refuge in emergency shelters.

A state of emergency has been declared amid concerns over food and water supplies and damaged infrastructure.

Solomons Red Cross Secretary General Joanne Zoleveke described the floods as "a tragedy none of us saw coming".

Honiara's main river, the Matanikau, burst its banks in the storm, sweeping away houses and bridges and flooding the downtown area.

"We were watching the river but never expected it to rise so fast. It took us by surprise. That is why there are deaths," Mr Zoleveke said.

Eleven evacuation centres have been set up at schools and at Honiara's international airport, the World Vision aid agency says.

It says that the domestic airport terminal is under water and there are fears about the spread of disease once the water subsides.

It is feared that the floods have caused millions of dollars worth of damage to the islands' infrastructure

Other parts of Guadalcanal province - where the capital is located - have also been declared disaster zones, officials say.

"Clean water sources have been contaminated, sanitation facilities destroyed and there is a lack of medicines to treat people who get sick," said Lawrence Hillary, World Vision's emergency response manager in the islands.

While water levels were reported to be subsiding on Saturday, aid agencies have warned that police still face the unpleasant task of finding more bodies in seaside and river debris.

The official number of deaths was, however, lowered on Saturday to 12 from the previous day's toll of 16,

The impact of the flood was made worse because it struck so fast, giving people little time to escape from their homes.

"I witnessed a mother and two children swept away in their home," local resident Paul Lega told the Solomon Star newspaper. He described the devastation as "the worst disaster the nation has seen".

Save the Children said on Friday that the scale of the damage was still unclear outside Honiara as both bridges out of the city had been cut off. However, it says that in the city itself thousands of homes have been completely washed away.

Entire houses have been washed away by the flood water

Many main roads in Guadalcanal have been shut due to high water levels

The flooding followed days of heavy rain in the area

Australia has pledged at least A$50,000 (£27,900; $46,200) in funds to support flood relief efforts.

New Zealand has given an initial contribution of NZ$300,000 (£154,500; $256,200).

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully told the New Zealand Herald that infrastructure and homes had been damaged.

Solomon Islands aid effort under way

Urgently-needed supplies are being airlifted to Solomon Islands where thousands of people are sheltering in evacuation centres after deadly floods.

Radio NZ,

7 April, 2014

A severe tropical storm hit the islands on Thursday leaving 21 people dead and many missing. In the capital Honiara, on Guadalcanal island, houses collapsed into the flooded Mataniko River and the downtown area was inundated.

A New Zealand Air Force Hercules was leaving for Solomon Islands on Monday morning. Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said flooding had destroyed much of the capital's infrastructure and a helicopter would be used to transport some of the supplies to and from the airport.

Prime Minister John Key said aid to the Solomon Islands will be a long-term effort. Mr Key told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme New Zealand has a long-standing relationship with the Pacific nation including its involvement with the RAMSI mission. "It's not just in the weeks but the months and years afterwards that really matters," he said.

New Zealand pledged initial financial aid of $300,000 and Mr Key rejected Labour Party claims the amount was insufficient and aid was taking too long to arrive. He said initial resources were directed to aid agencies on the ground and full information is still emerging on what is required.

Death toll likely to be higher

New Zealand's acting high commissioner to Solomon Islands, Sarah Wong, says the death toll is expected to rise. She said the Government and local authorities under real pressure as they deal with the aftermath of the floods.

"They do have the capacity but like every organisation here they are under immense pressure because their own personnel have been affected personally by this crisis."

Ms Wong, says essential items are in short supply and the New Zealand Hercules would bring tarpaulins, water bottles, medicines, mosquito nets, building tools, kitchen sets and blankets.

An Australian Air Force plane landed in Honiara on Sunday bringing a medical team that will visit evacuation centres to try to stop diseases from spreading, an aid agency said.

Save the Children emergencies manager Graham Kenna said diarrhoeal illnesses are occurring and dengue fever, already a problem in the islands, will re-emerge.

"It's going to be a major issue in seven to ten days when the place dries out and these mosquitos come out again. I am personally quite frightened about how the situation is going to be."

Mr Kenna said some children at the camps are unaccompanied and don't know where their parents are.