22 Feb 2013

Landslides affect Solomons quake zone

4:02 pm on 22 February 2013

The Solomon Islands Red Cross says several landslides have affected the Santa Cruz islands triggered by aftershocks from the magnitude 8 earthquake earlier this month.

A Red Cross official, Tim McInerny, says a water purification unit has been deployed to a village where the water source was destroyed by a landslide a week ago.

He says there are many people still living under tarpaulins in the hills who come down to the markets on the coast during the day and return to sleep on higher ground.

He says the immediate need for water, food and shelter are being met, but long-term solutions are now being developed as people try to get on with their lives.

"You can see people starting to get back and pick up the pieces of their lives. Whether that means picking up pieces of timbers that were left over from their homes or starting to take their kids to school as the schools start to open back up again. But there's a lot more work to do in those communities that have lost absolutely everything."

Tim McInerny says more disaster relief support will be needed and an action plan for the next four months is due to be released soon by government and humanitarian agencies.