PROVINCIAL ward member for Vatukulau ward in south Guadalcanal is appealing to organisations and the national government to assist his people with food and shelter after their homes were destroyed by landside last week.
Rollen Seleso made the appeal on Tuesday when he handed over 60 20kg bags of rice to his people at Raeavu village.
“Indeed my people really need help from us all,” Mr Seleso said.
He said he had tried his best to assist them with food but the number is quite big for only one man to assist.
“This is because the number of household there is more than 50 home,” Mr Seleso said.
“Last week, I sent 50 bags of rice just to assist during times like this,” he added.
He said that landslide was a result of the heavy rain experienced for the last couple of months there.
The landslide came down and destroyed five houses and throw grounds in the church building.
He said during his visit there, he saw that his people were traumatized especially the women and children after the landslide.
Mr Seleso added that the worst thing at the moment is the people were living without food because their food gardens were destroyed by the heavy rain.
He said those families that their houses were destroyed were still accommodated with relatives.
“The community now still lives in trauma and fear because if it continues to rain, the left over grounds and stones still hanging up there will come down.”
Mr Seleso said they were looking at evacuating the people to a new location.
“This is another big plan but at the moment, I just want to call on the authorities and other helping hands to come out and help assist the people with foods and materials for shelter.”
He said that officers from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) have visited the area last week but no emergency supplies have been given as yet.
“I want to call on the authority that they should give foods now while carrying out the assessments.
“Food is what my people really need at the moment because their food gardens were destroyed by the heavy rain.”
Guadalcanal Provincial Council of Women also supported the call for authorities and other organisations to come out and help the people.
Mr Seleso said only Raeavu people who lived in town have come forward to assist their relatives.
He said Raeavu was located at the bottom of a mountain and is prone to landslide and other natural disasters.
By LESLEY SANGA
