25 Mar 2015

Hundreds still in evacuation centres in Tuvalu

9:20 am on 25 March 2015

The Tuvalu government says it is trying to work out how to deal with hundreds of people still living in evacuation centres in Nui, which was entirely flooded during Cyclone Pam.

Flooding in Tuvalu from the storm surge caused by Cyclone Pam

Flooding in Tuvalu from the storm surge caused by Cyclone Pam Photo: Lenny Lusama

A spokeperson, Panapasi Nelesoni, says 70 families are living in school classrooms after being displaced by the storm.

He says the government is working on moving the families into community halls so that children can go back to school.

"Some of the halls were that badly damaged as well. So we are trying to repair those halls, to move the families that are currently accommodated in the classrooms to those community halls and at the same time try to work out a response to try to get them back to build their own houses."

Panapasi Nelesoni says after past cyclones, the government has provided some financial assistance to displaced people trying to rebuild their homes.

He was not able to say whether the government would do the same following Cyclone Pam.