8 Feb 2013

Solomons Red Cross extends help to tsunami-hit Temotu

1:00 pm on 8 February 2013

The Solomon Islands Red Cross says it's sending half of its team to Temotu province as there are widespread areas that no one has reached yet following the earthquake and tsunami two days ago.

The Secretary General, Joanne Zoleveke, says the situation is grave and 15 staff left on the government patrol boat from Honiara yesterday, which is expected to reach Lata late tonight.

She says they will help the two staff and ten volunteers based there who did an initial search on the day of the disaster.

She says only half of the main island in the Santa Cruz group has been covered so far and most of the outer islands remain isolated.

"We're sending a 15-member team to Lata. We're relocating our operations centre there because we feel that the situation is grave and the devastation is more widely spead than we think it is."

Joanne Zoleveke says the Red Cross is also sending a water purification module and a sanitation unit on the boat.