18 Mar 2013

Solomons quake refugees stranded in shelters

9:15 pm on 18 March 2013

People are still living under temporary shelter without access to water or toilets in the capital of Solomon Islands' Temotu province, almost six weeks after the region was hit by a major earthquake and tsunami.

Premier Charles Brown Beu says more than 100 people who lost their homes are living under tents or tarpaulins, many of them from other islands in the province.

He says he needs to know what the plan is for those people, many of whom are from other islands in the province.

"One of my major concerns now is there are no toilets in those camps," Father Beu says. "And stronger ones still go down to the seaside which is about almost 20, 30 minutes' walk from the huts, temporary shelter, to the sea."

The premier says for people to move back to their seaside land, they need reassurance they will be safe.