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Solomon Islands: Drought - Nov 1997

Status
Past
Countries
Solomon Islands
Disaster types
Drought

Due to the current weather situation in the South-East Pacific, most areas of the Solomon Islands are experiencing a serious drought. Since June this year, most areas have recorded rainfall below average. Apart from the main provincial centres, there are some unofficial reports coming from rural areas, especially in Western, Choiseul, Central and Isabel provinces with regard to water shortage and effects on crops. The drought situation has affected normal services in most provincial centres to the extent that provincial authorities have reduced official working hours to half-day work to allow workers to fetch water for drinking and other utilization. As a result of additional efforts to deliver water to residents, the limited resources in the provinces have been strained. Some essential services in the provincial hospitals of Lata, Gizo and Taro face immediate closure if the situation continues to get worse and provincial health authorities have expressed concerns about health-related problems associated with the lack and poor quality of water. [...] So far no casualties have been reported. Health problems are the major concern, especially in Bellona where diarrhoea is increasing by about 100 per cent each month since August 1997. Cases of eye and chest infections are also increasing rapidly. (UN DHA, 24 Nov 1997)