Thousands displaced as FSM turns to massive relief effort

Thousands of people have been left displaced in the Federated States of Micronesia after the category five supertyphoon Maysak tore through the states of Chuuk and Yap this week.

At least five people have died, crops and infrastructure have been destroyed, and water supplies contamintated.

The Red Cross in the country said the destruction was so widespread that the humanitarian response would be a significant logistical challenge.

Maysak developed into a typhoon last weekend as it entered the state of Chuuk, with the eye of it sweeping over the state capital, Weno.

It continued to build intensity until it became a category five supertyphoon by the time it entered neighbouring Yap state.

The head of the Red Cross in the FSM, Isao Frank, said that 60-80% of homes on Weno had been destroyed, leaving up to 6,000 people displaced.

"They're estimating that around 830 dwellings have been destroyed and we're looking at around 6,000 folks being displaced just from their situation reports," he said.

Mr Frank said evacuation centes that had been set up in school and churches on Yap were overcrowded, and people were awaiting the arrival of government ships carrying relief supplies.

In Yap, the atolls of Fais, Ulithi and Faraulep sustained a direct hit from the typhoon at its full strength, with winds of well over 200 kilometres an hour. The state's lieutenant governor, James Yangetmai, said assessment flights had revealed massive destruction, but no fatalities in the state.

He said crops had been wiped out, water supplies contaminated, and all buildings except those built from concrete had been wiped out.

"The only remaining are those that were built of concrete, which are very few of them," he said. "On one island they reported that only four structures were built of concrete and even with that, their roof flew off."

Mr Yangetmai said there was an urgent need for shelter, food and water for the atolls' residents.

Isao Frank said the destruction caused by typhoon Maysak was so widespread and covered such a distance that the humanitarian response would be a significant logistical challenge.

"We're scrambling around like everyone else," said Mr Frank. "It's such a scale that even ourselves are not prepared to handle it on our own and we'll need international support from everyone. Right now we need additional relief supplies to support folks who are calling in and telling us that their islands have been devastated."

Andrew Yatilman said government patrol boats carrying water, food and other relief supplies had been deployed from Pohnpei to Yap and Chuuk and were expected to arrive this weekend.

He said the President, Manny Mori, had requested international assistance from the United Nations and the government was hoping to receive significant assistance from the United States under the Compact of Free Association between the two countries.

Mr Yatilman said that with the scale of devastation, it could take years to rebuild infrastructure and return to a stable food supply.

"The major staple crops for these people are breadfruit and taro and banana," he said. "Bananas tend to grow quicker; but for breadfruit, it's going to take another five to ten years before they start fruiting again and for taro it's the same thing, it takes four to five years to mature. That is really going to post a huge problem," he said.

Further assessments and aid deployments will take place this weekend.