243 still displaced from Vanuatu floods

Transcript

243 people in Vanuatu are still in evacuation centres after a record 24 hours rainfall caused flash flooding earlier this week.

Disaster authorities are still assessing the impact of the floods and plans for the official recovery effort.

A National Disaster Management official, Phillip Meto, spoke with Koroi Hawkins about the situation on the ground.

PHILLIP METO: So far all the evacuation centres most of the evacuees have already returned back to their areas and at the moment we have still have a lot of people living in the centre, around 243 people in one of the communities here in Eratap Village where still most of the people, around six households have lost their houses and a few of them have lost all their gardens and food crops and there is a lot of work yet need to be done. There has already been an assessment team deployed on Tuesday and Wednesday to assess most of the damages during the flood. Hopefully the reports will be compiled and finished, finalised, sometime at the end of this week or beginning of next week and then the reports can be submitted to the National Disaster Committee for endorsement and approval.

KOROI HAWKINS: So exactly how many people are still in refugee centres, is it evacuation centres and how many are under your care and what are you doing for them?

PHILLIP METO: At the moment we only have one evacuation centre it is around 243 people still at the evacuation centre in Eratap and yet, the disaster management office have already made some attempt to provide some basic food especially rice, biscuits and some tins. Just to keep them around with the other food crops that have been damaged by the floods and they still at the centre and the NDMO is still monitoring the situation and also they are still working on the other stuff that could also be added and give to the evacuees in Eratap. And some houses have not been washed away but they have been filled with mud and debris and all other stuffs that have been brought in by the floods. So there is lots of things that has contribute for them not, not allowing them to get back soon to their houses.