BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
THE National Disaster Management Office and Solomon Islands Meteorological Services in Honiara have today released a new tropical cyclone Lucas impact assessment report.
The report which was released at an organised media press conference held at National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) in Honiara defined the severe impact posed to the Solomon Islands based on the recent frequency and intensity of tropical cyclone Lucas causing heavy rains and strong winds to coastal communities in the country.
The Director for National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), Loti Yates, and Director Solomon Islands Meteorological Services (Met. Office), David Hiriasia were the key presenters at the press conference.
Loti Yates said that the impacts caused by Lucas had caused damages to properties, food gardens, infrastructures as the main livelihood of the communities across the country.
He confirmed that the affected communities in the Solomon Islands are including provinces of Central, Malaita, Isabel, Guadalcanal, Temotu, Makira, Western and Rennell, and Bellona.
“Based on situation reports we received, currently there are three provinces that are actively deploying their assessment teams to go out and do an assessment within their affected communities.
“These provinces are Isabel province, Central province where in this case is Savo and Makira Ulawa province as they had already secured support fund from their budgets.
“Although these three provinces had already secured funds to carry out their assessments, others like Rennell and Bellona, Guadalcanal, Temotu, and Western, Malaita have yet their assessment team due to lack of funds.
“Based on overlying of information from affected communities and reports from Provincial Disaster Management Office, we can easily look at about 100 to 300 people affected in one way or the other, food gardens, flooding, etc.,’’ the NDMO Director told the media.
Yates said that communities affected in Guadalcanal province due to the cyclone Lucas are Malagno, Ghaobata, and Tasiboko and Taliba wards while for Isabel reports received comes from Baolo to Kolotubi communities.
He added that most report of damages in these communities and provinces is quite similar as these damages had been caused as a result of flooding caused by cyclone Lucas that lead to landslide, coastal and river flooding that caused damages to these communities.
Yates said that relief aid will be supplied to affected communities as long as their provincial assessment teams have completed their impact assessment reports and handed them to NMDO and its partners in Honiara.