2 Jun 2005

Food aid due on Reef Islands in Solomons within 2 weeks

4:36 pm on 2 June 2005

The National Disaster Council in Solomon Islands says 70,000 US dollars worth of rice should reach the people of the Reef Islands within the next two weeks.

The Home Affairs minister, Nelson Kile, says that four elderly people and a small number of children have died of starvation and malnutrition over the past two months.

An unusual prolonged unusual weather condition is being blamed for the severe food shortage there.

Nancy Malvo has family in the Reef Islands.

She says people are fed up with the amount of time it's taken for food aid to reach them.

"They are really angry and at this time, they really lack someone to assist them quickly."

Nancy Malvo