5 Nov 2003

Solomon Islands Disaster Office appeals for food aid for Tikopia

4:51 pm on 5 November 2003

The director of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates, says the people of Tikopia are desperate for food supplies.

Mr Yates says that following the devastation of Cyclone Zoe in December locals planted new crops, but just as they started to grow, Cyclone Gina struck in June, damaging their rebuilt homes and uprooting the crops.

Mr Yates says his office is appealing to donors for help so that relief supplies can be dispatched immediately to Tikopia.

He says the crisis is exarcebated by delays in food relief and the region's four-month drought.

"The drought is causing a lot of problems so much so that the people are down to basically the last resort of getting food and this is by baking the inside of sago plants..it is the last resort ...they don't usually go down that far'"

Director of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates.