10 Apr 2007

Red Cross says up to seven thousand homeless in Solomons' Western Province

10:03 am on 10 April 2007

The Red Cross says up to seven thousand people are homeless in Western Province.

A Red Cross spokeswoman in Gizo, Susie Chippendale, says food and medical aid is arriving but many people are still camping in the hills.

She says many are afraid to return to their homes because of fears of another tsunami.

Many homes in Gizo were destroyed or badly damaged by both the earthquake and the resulting tsunami.

The town's airport has now been repaired and shops opened on Monday for the first time since the quake.

But Ms Chippendale says tools are needed so that people can rebuild their homes and clear their gardens to grow food.