Pacific / Solomon Islands

Shelter to be delivered to Solomons' quake victims Sunday

17:00 pm on 10 December 2016

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Disaster officials in Solomon Islands have made an initial assessment that 3,712 people have been affected by a spate of earthquakes over the past two days.

A 7.8 magnitude quake on Friday was followed by a shallow 6.9 tremor this morning, and a number of lighter tremors.

There have not been any reports of injury, but some traditional houses in coastal villages on Makira and Malaita were damaged, sometimes by tsunami waves.

Many residents had sought the safety of higher ground.

World Vision's Solomon Islands country director, Janes Ginting said all development partners had been asked by the National Disaster Office to help distribute shelter, such as tarpaulins, to those affected.

Because the report tells that many of the villagers still stay in the forest or not stay at their home. And this is the rainy season [so] there is an urgent need for shelter. So tomorrow afternoon we are going with the government patrol boat to these affected areas in Makira and south Malaita.