ReliefWeb

Ref: OCHA/GVA -2005/62

OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Tokelau- Tropical Cyclone Percy
1 April 2005

This situation report is based on the damage assessment report made by the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team deployed to Tokelau. The full report is available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Emergency Situation and UNDAC deployment

1. On 25 February, Tropical Cyclone Percy, a category 3 to 4 cyclone with sustained winds measuring 178 to 249 km/hr, impacted the islands of Tokelau (population: 1,609), consisting of three atolls: Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu. The storm surge of the cyclone sent waves across the atolls and through the villages from both the ocean and the lagoon sides, clashing in the middle. The waves, accompanied by increasing winds and torrential rain, continued until the early hours of the morning of 26 February.

2. Reports of widespread damage were received from the atolls of Fakaofo and Nukunonu, while communication with the atoll of Atafu remained limited for over a week, although no casualties were reported. The cyclone is considered to be the worst since 1966.

3. On 2 March, the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) in Samoa formally requested OCHA for a UNDAC mission to Tokelau to assist the Tokelauan administration in undertaking damage assessments. OCHA immediately deployed a two-member UNDAC team, consisting of members from Australia and Samoa.

4. The UNDAC team conducted a damage assessment in Tokelau from 7 to 13 March in close collaboration with the Red Cross and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and with support from the Tokelauan administration and the UNRC's office. Below are the overall recommendations and lessons learned made by the UNDAC team.

Recommendations

Clearing of Debris

5. Clean up of debris is the first priority in order to return to a feeling of normalcy and reduce the likelihood of health risks. On Fakaofo and Atafu this seems to have been largely achieved, though assistance in waste management and the removal of debris would still be beneficial. On Nukunonu, there is still a great deal to be done in the clean up process and the community could perhaps benefit from some assistance, not only in waste and debris removal, but in manpower to achieve this task.

Waste Management and Fuel Storage

6. Waste management is a significant challenge for the atolls, particularly in the aftermath of the cyclone. The Councils of Elders are concerned about the impact of the waste on their environment and have requested assistance in devising a method of disposing of it in the future. Prior to the cyclone, there was an accumulation of rubbish on the islands in the absence of a method of recycling or disposing it properly for the long term. Much of it has now been washed into the ocean or spread around the island, posing a problem both to health on the islands and to the marine environment. As awareness within the community is high at the moment, this would be an ideal time to set in place a community awareness programme to develop effective attitudes to waste management and a methodical system of disposal.

7. Fuel storage is also an issue. The team noted several positions where drums were leaking, and more generally that current methods are not suitable. Fuel should be stored in bunkers, with walls around them and a roof over the top.

Food/Agriculture

8. It seems clear that assistance will be needed with food supplies. Relief supplies recently delivered seem to be sufficient for immediate needs, but care needs to be taken not to create a culture of dependency.

9. However, as it will take some time for crops of staples such as taro, coconuts, breadfruit, bananas and pawpaws to be replenished, the food supplies on the atolls will need to be monitored in the medium term. One possible area of assistance may be the replenishment of seed stocks for items that have been destroyed.

10. The loss of 50% of the pigs will be sorely felt by the people of Fakaofo and will impact on their food supplies and the balance of their diet, particularly in combination with the likely loss of fish in the area.

Sea Walls

11. The top priority to the people of the atolls is the reconstruction of the existing sea walls and the continuation of the project to build a new wall in many vulnerable areas. They are unanimous in their claim that the sea walls have significantly reduced the damage to the villages.

12. The people of Tokelau feel that they can direct the process of their reconstruction, but they will need assistance in terms of manpower, machinery and materials for their rebuilding.

Environment

13. The cyclone has had a severe impact on the environment. Most of the plants have been damaged by either salt water or salt spray. Beaches have suffered major erosion and the marine environment has suffered from both the dumping of sand and debris over corals and fish habitats and the massive movement of rubbish into the lagoon. The concern about ciguatera poisoning is also an issue.

14. The erosion of the islands is a matter of great concern and needs to be considered carefully in association with the construction of the sea wall, both in terms of the capacity of the wall to protect from erosion and the risk, if incorrectly positioned, of causing erosion itself.

15. The fact that all three Councils of Elders requested that the team note in this report their concern about global warming and their absolute conviction that sea level rise has already affected their islands shows how deeply this issue is felt by the people.

Buildings and Construction

16. Overall, the houses have fared quite well with the cyclone. Roofs were not lost and there is little evidence of outright collapse. However, erosion around foundations is an important issue, and there is a need to examine building methods and to establish a building code suitable to the lifestyle and practicalities of the island.

Health

17. Although Tokelau was fortunate not to experience direct injuries from the cyclone, a number of health issues were identified:

• The increase in mosquitoes could well lead to an outbreak of dengue fever.
  
  
• The overflow of septic tanks in a number of areas, particularly at the hospitals, is of serious concern, and as water has swept through these areas and into schools and houses, cleaning with antiseptics should be considered.
  
  
• The hospitals in Tokelau were already operating at a very basic level. The further erosion of their resources through loss of computers, medical equipment and supplies will reduce their capabilities.
  
  
• The lack of screening of blood presents a serious risk, should another disaster occur cutting the islands off from outside assistance. A programme through which everyone is made aware of his/her blood group would be of benefit.
  
  
• The lack of generators of sufficient size for the hospitals also means that they may be unable to function effectively during a disaster, exactly when they are likely to be most crucial.

Education

18. A priority for schools will be clean up and sterilization of the affected areas. Replacement of toilet facilities in schools as quickly as possible is essential.

Psychological health and Loss of Personal Effects

19. Although the Tokelauans have shown a great deal of self-motivation and strength in their clean- up of the islands, this cyclone has had a strong impact on the psychological health of the communities. Not only have public buildings and houses been damaged, many personal belongings were washed away or damaged. This will affect people's lifestyles both materially and psychologically.

20. On Nukunonu, where the damage was most significant, morale is low, although the community is working hard to recover. On all the islands, the cyclone seems to have brought a great sense of how vulnerable they are, which will last long beyond the repair of buildings and plantations.

Lessons Learned

21. The sea walls have proven its effectiveness in protecting the villages, though there are questions that need to be answered about their construction in terms of positioning and materials.

22. While a number of preparedness activities were undertaken by the population, these seem to have been somewhat ad hoc and could be formulated into an emergency plan for each village, as is mentioned in the National Emergency Plan.

23. Although several sites have been designated as Safe Areas, the designation of Safe Areas, particularly for evacuation, should be carried out on all islands and a campaign conducted to ensure that they are known to everyone.

24. The authorities in Nukunonu have a medical personnel system to ensure that there would be a medical presence and supplies on different parts of the island during a cyclone. This is an excellent practice and should be encouraged not only on other islands, but in communities outside Tokelau.

25. Although a communications system was established for the islands to receive information from the Fiji Meteorological Service, it did not work in practice. The first notification of the impending cyclone came as a telephone call from New Zealand. Establishing a better system is a priority to allow the communities on each atoll to have access to warnings 24 hours a day prior to and during a cyclone.

26. This situation report, together with further information on other ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
Mr. Soichi Nakajima
E-mail: nakajima@un.org
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 4034

Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Elisabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917 367 51 26
(N.Y.) Mr. Brian Grogan, direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43