S.I Red Cross Society sends Assessment Teams to Guadalcanal Floods

The continuous heavy rains and flooding over the last couple of days have greatly affected communities on both east and west of Guadalcanal Province. Reports received to date from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) highlight 8 confirmed dead with 11 reported still missing and many injured.

The Solomon Islands Red Cross has deployed six emergency response trained staff and volunteers along with the Guadalcanal Provincial Disaster Council (PDC) led teams to do assessment and distribute some relief to the communities affected at the West Guadalcanal and Longu area, East Guadalcanal.

According to Mr. Sipuru Rove, the local Red Cross Disaster Manager, six personnel from the SIRC Headquarters, Auki, Lata, Gizo and Guadalcanal have been deployed to assess household needs in the emergency phase (first few days of the flooding) together with the NDMO while other organizations will do other sectoral assessments.

“Once assessments are complete, Red Cross will distribute supplies of non- food items; tarpaulins, basic kitchen utensils and blankets in this emergency phase because people affected are in need of these items”.

“Red Cross has already joined the NDMO joint assessment teams to do initial assessment of affected areas on Friday last week. My office is confident of data collected so far. But the team will continue with assessment including a rapid aerial assessment to be completed this afternoon ”, he said.

Last night the SI Red Cross volunteers and staff packed around 200 Family Relief kits from its disaster preparedness containers at its Riffle Range compound. These will be transported on board the Police Patrol boat as arranged with NDMO for distribution to the most affect areas. Movement partners of the Solomon Islands Red Cross are on standby to assist with further relief supplies and resources later required.

For more information contact; Ms Nancy Jolo (SIRC Secretary General) or Lorima Tuke (Deputy Secretary General) on Tel: (677) 22682, Fax: 25299 Or email secgen_sirc@solomon.com.sb or dsg_sirc@solomon.com.sb.