Caritas supporting trauma basic needs in Solomons

Caritas supporting trauma and basic needs in Solomon Islands

5th April 2007, Caritas Australia is today facilitating food distribution to villagers who are yet to see assistance in the wake of the tsunami that hit the Solomon Islands on Monday. Jack de Groot CEO of Caritas Australia said “In addition, three trauma counsellors will arrive from Honiara with a boat load of water tanks, tarpaulins, bales of clothes, PVC pipes and ropes.”

Bishop Bernard O’Grady, Chairman of Caritas Solomon Islands and based in Gizo, has spoken today of the trauma the earthquake has caused and the needs in the tsunami affected region.

“The local people are still really traumatised and in shock. I don’t think we realized what that meant. I didn’t either. I was caught in the house in the main shake and it wasn’t until a day later that I realized what effect that had on me” said Bishop O’Grady.

“I was speaking to a person from the other village called Sissiana this morning. He was describing how they had no warning whatsoever at all before the big wave came in. They had between 50 and 80 metres to run from the shoreline to the hill, but the wave caught them and tossed them in all directions. He was describing how he went up and down in the water, his wife and children were around, it tossed them in all directions. His mother in law was severely injured when a tree fell across her legs and she was helicoptered to Honiara yesterday with a number of other people.

“He said if it had happened at night hundreds of people would have been killed. The village is a complete wipe out. Nothing of the village is left and that is the case for three villages around”.

“There is still a concern amongst the people. People are very traumatized, people are up in the hills and I spent the first night with them out under the stars. Luckily it didn’t rain that night People are scared to go back to the seashore and are still sheltering in the hills.”

“The Chinese shop owners in Gizo town have been very helpful. They are trucking food up the hill behind us. They are going up there with truck loads of food and today, with the support of Caritas, I’m trying to organize some rice, sugar and flour to get to the village communities whose homes have been wiped out on the other side of the island,” concluded Bishop O’Grady.

“None of the stores are open yet but we have had rice delivered by boat overnight and although food is getting short, I don’t think this is a major problem. Medical supplies are being ferried across to Gizo Island by helicopters from Munda Island.”

“I’ve got four big aluminum tanks, they are cracked and I have no water supply at the moment. There is no town supply. The local Gizo fire truck has been ferrying water to the people on the hillside. Sanitation is the big problem as there are no proper sanitation systems as yet, apart from the bush.”

Bishop O’Grady concluded his comments about the situation saying,”I was lucky, I feel sorry for those who were not so lucky. It is a time when we are all drawn together. It isn’t what faith you belong too, we are all in this together”.

Caritas Australia CEO Jack de Groot said ‘Caritas is accepting donations to support the Solomon Islands Tsunami Recovery ‘. Phone: 1800 024 413 or visit http://www.caritas.org.au.

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