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Kiribati: Drought - Mar 1999

Status
Past
Countries
Kiribati
Disaster types
Drought

According to preliminary information gathered by the UNDP's Disaster Management Programme-South Pacific Office (DMP-SPO), a drought has persisted in Kiribati for over a year. Kiribati is situated in the south Pacific Ocean, 2,000 km north of Fiji. Kiribati consists of three island groups, namely; the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands. The population is approximately 84,000, and the national capital is Tarawa. Current major impacts are on water sources and tree crops. The underground water level is deepening and rainwater storage tanks have been drained. Breadfruit and coconut trees, essential food sources for atoll islanders, are severely affected. South Tarawa, where some 78,000 people live, and Ocean Island, which is totally reliant on rain water tanks, are the worst affected areas. At the moment, both areas are on strict water rationing. The Government fears a deterioration in sanitation standards, which would put the population's health at risk. (OCHA, 12 Mar 1999)