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National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) Situation Report No. 9

Countries
Solomon Islands
Sources
Govt. Solomon Islands
Publication date

1. SITUATION DESCRIPTION

On periods between 2nd to 5th April 2014 a trough lies over the Solomon Islands. The weak low then developed into a Tropical Depression and later further developed into Tropical Cyclone Ita.

The 24 hours rainfall collected over the 4 days period recorded a total of 715mm rainfall, this almost triple the normal mean rainfall for the month of April.

The excessive unremitting rainfall has resulted in severe flash flooding in all the major river systems on Honiara and on Guadalcanal. The flash floods have caused destruction to the environment, properties, economy, social security and people. An estimated 10,092 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) evacuated and take shelter at 27 Evacuation Centres across Honiara and on Guadalcanal, with 22 people confirmed dead across the country of which 18 deaths in Honiara City, 2 deaths on Guadalcanal and 2 deaths on Isabel Provinces, all the deaths are directly associated to the bad weather.

Based on Aerial Assessment conducted by RAMSI/DFAT, the most affected areas are along the Mataniko River downstream all the way to the upstream and the Guadalcanal Plains.
These are the areas directly impacted by the flash floods on the major river system, whiles other communities living close to small rivers, streams, tributaries and flat areas on Honiara, Guadalcanal, Isabel and Malaita were also affected.

Feeding at all the Evacuation Centres is on-going, as well as conducting of Detail Sectorial Assessments (DSA) by the Government responsible Ministries/Sectors. And since 12th April the SIRC has being tasked to conducted Initial Damaged and Needs Assessments (IDA), as of 17th April, a Joint Multi-Agency Initial Damaged and Needs Assessment Team was pulled together to establish the on the ground facts on the impacts of the disaster to the affected communities, hence, identify and determine the real extent of the destructions to the affected communities.