Bad weather hits home
By ANDREW FANASIA
THE National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) is expecting more reports on the impacts of the current heavy rain and flooding.
NDMO Principal Program Officer Brian Tom said this, Wednesday.
“Following the heavy rain and floods we have a lot of information reaching our office especially on the impacts of damages on properties in the country,” Mr Tom said.
“We have already received reports of houses and homes being destroyed and more gardens were now under water due to flooding,” he added.
Mr Tom confirmed that they received reports from Malaita, Makira, Guadalcanal, Central Province, Isabel and Western at the moment and they expect more to come from other provinces.
“Our office is working 27/7 to make sure that we get these reports and information from our provinces, and to prepare our assessments in the provinces.”
He said NFMO will work closely with provincial disaster committees through the Provincial Emergency Operation Centres to collect more information.
“Because currently we only got information directly from affected people who have access to phones and who called our office emergency line.
“So if provincial disaster committees can lead in assessment and gather information it will be much better and make it easy for us to work on their assessments,” he added.
Mr Tom said once NDMO receives all the relevant information they can do further planning.
He explained their assessments will depend much on the weather.
“If the weather permits our assessment teams will be on the ground quickly.”
Mr Tom also admitted that remoteness of some of the affected communities will mean delay in getting assessment teams there.
Meanwhile, he said despite the many awareness programs his office has been conducting on disaster preparedness, some people simply ignore them or failed to prepare ahead of bad weather.
“A lot of information and awareness concerning disaster preparedness were given to our people through awareness and media including radio programs but our people failed to capture and follow them,” Mr Tom added.
