Women's Weather Watch - Safe Closure of Evacuation Centres

April 7, 2012
Women's Weather Watch - Safe Closure of Evacuation Centres

As families work to rebuild their lives and disaster management and humanitarian assistance coordination continue this Easter weekend FemLINKPacific resumes our Women's Weather Watch report with an interview from Nausori and recommendations for steps which must be taken as part of the closure of evacuation centres:

Spotlight on Nausori:

There is a need for more women to be trained in disaster management strategies says 27 year old Meredani Kororuwa who lives with her husband and 4 children including a three month old baby in Nadali which is about 5 minute car ride and 15 minute bus ride from Nausori Town who spoke to FemLINKPacific's focal point in Nausori, Paulin Fong Chaudhry:

Seven days ago radio updates alerted Meredani about the severity of the weather and she alerted her husband who was at work at the time to buy extra candles, matches, extra diaper for the baby who she is still breastfeeding and extra canned food and biscuits while she and her older children got busy at home organizing furniture to be stored to prevent water damage.

The family monitored the water level as it rose bring mud and rubbish to their doorstep.

She was concerned that there was no designated evacuation centre in her area and she also recommends improvements in the search and rescue facility by the police.

Steps for Closure of Evacuation Centres:

Meanwhile with plans to re-open schools in the Western Division on 10th April in an effort to minimise the loss of learning hours for school-children in flood-affected areas, we reiterate that the NDMO and other humanitarian agencies operating in flood-affected/prone areas, and in evacuation centres:

• Before closing evacuation centres, assess conditions in the affected areas where evacuees are returning – make sure that evacuees are returning to safe locations with adequate shelter, sanitation facilities and access to water
• If school-based evacuation centres are closing in the coming days, and evacuees are unable to safely return home without risk of further harm (eg hazardous waste, risk of landslides, unsanitary conditions, significant infrastructure damage preventing access to basic services etc), there may be a need to identify alternative temporary shelters for relocation of disaster-affected families
• The identification of alternative evacuation centres or temporary shelters should ensure that basic facilities and safety measures are in place – such as lighting; separate secure bathing/toilet facilities for men and women; safe access to centres and their facilities for all evacuees including children, elderly, people with disabilities
• Ensure that clear and timely information is provided to all evacuees regarding closure of an evacuation centre, and options of alternative temporary shelter for those who cannot safely return
• Clearly identify who is responsible for management and coordination of the relocation process
• Clearly identify who is responsible for registration of evacuees relocated from an evacuation centre that is closing, to an alternative temporary shelter
• Monitor conditions for disaster-affected population in areas of relocation and return, following closure of evacuation centres

ENDS

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