Solomon Islands - Tsunami
|
| Map of Solomon Islands |
Regional Team: Asia
Disaster Declared: 04/03/2007
Brief Description: On April 2, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck 345 km northwest of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. The resulting tsunami killed 21 people and displaced more than 5,400 others in Western and Choiseul provinces, according to initial estimates of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Council (NDC). The Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office reported more than 900 houses destroyed. The island of Gizo in Western Province sustained the worst damage. More than 50,000 people were affected, according to estimates from World Vision, a non-governmental organization that has worked in the Solomon Islands for 25 years. The Government of Solomon Islands declared a state of emergency after initial assessments from the Solomon Islands Police and the NDC.
On April 3, U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Leslie V. Rowe declared a disaster due to the effects of the tsunami. In response, OFDA provided $50,000 to World Vision through the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby to address immediate relief needs of the affected populations. OFDA authorized an additional $200,000 for emergency shelter, water, health, and sanitation, provided through humanitarian assistance organizations working in affected areas, in consultation with the OFDA regional office in Bangkok and the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby.
Back to Top ^
|
