HONIARA, Solomon Islands (3 Jan 2003) -- More than 1,000 people living on the remote Pacific island of Tikopia, lashed by a powerful cyclone five days ago, survived the ordeal, a cameraman said Saturday. But there was still no word on the fate of hundreds of others living on neighboring Anuta and Mota Lava islands, which may also have been hit by high winds. Cyclone Zoe, packing winds of up to 225 mph, wiped out homes and crops Sunday on Tikopia and Anuta _islets in the Solomon Islands chain. The islands have a population of about 3,700 people. "The whole way there I thought I would see hundreds of dead," said New Zealand freelance cameraman Geoff Mackley, who landed on Tikopia on Friday. "But instead we were just overwhelmed with people. ... Every single person was alive and there they were, standing in front of me." Prior to Mackley's report to The Weekend Australian newspaper, there had been no word of casualties or conditions on the remote island. Radio communications were knocked out, and authorities had based assessments on surveys by aircraft flying over the island, which has no airstrip. In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Mackley said the island was devastated. "Whole villages have been inundated by the sea." Villagers told Mackley that they all survived, but the fruit they usually eat was ruined by the storm and their last water supply was contaminated by salt water and only available at low tide . "They are collecting water from green coconuts, but obviously that's not very good for them," Mackley said. "They used communal toilets which were basically holes in the ground, so now there's a risk of disease." A relief ship with food and medical supplies was on its way from the Solomon Islands capital Honiara, but was not expected to arrive before Sunday. A second boat was loading supplies Friday afternoon for the 600 mile trip. | | Pictures taken from the air earlier this week show palm trees flattened on pristine beaches and thatch huts stripped to their frames as small clusters of villagers examine the devastation wrought by the wind. Assessment of the damage to the islands and their inhabitants differ widely. The Australian government's aid agency, AusAid, which had officials on a survey plane, said Thursday islanders were seen rebuilding their homes and going about their daily business. Tikopia and Anuta are part of the impoverished Solomon Islands, a country of 80 islands 1,400 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia. Australian and New Zealand have been criticized for the delays in assessing the damage and getting a relief ship or even parachute drops of supplies to the islands. Both nations have given tens of thousands of dollars in aid. "It's absurd that nearly a week after the cyclone we still don't know what casualties there are, or the needs of the people," said Keith Locke, New Zealand Greens Party legislator and foreign affairs spokesman. New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said his government would look at how aid delivery could be speeded up once the crisis in the Solomons was over. The Australian government has said the Solomon Islands is a sovereign state and it could only act after a request for assistance was made from Honiara. SOURCE - NI |
