VILLAGERS of Parara and Kohingo islands in Western Province are facing critical water shortage as impacts of the dry weather hits home.
“Most villagers on these two islands have already run out of drinking water in their tanks,” community leader Hoult Tonga told the Solomon Star from Rarumana by phone yesterday.
“A few of us still have drinking water in our tanks and we are sharing them with those who have already run out,” Mr Tonga said.
“But our water tanks too are running out. If there are no rains in the next few days, our tanks will run out by mid next week,” he added.
“The situation is critical and severe. I want the National Disaster Management Office to take note of our situation.
“We are in urgent need of help.”
Parara and Kohingo islands are located in the Vonavona Lagoon between provincial capital Gizo and the industrial town of Noro.
The two islands have no river or streams.
Residents there depend on rain, which are collected in water tanks, for their drinking water.
Their baths are taken in wells dug up on the beach or behind their villages.
Mr Tonga said villagers with outboard motor engines have been travelling to the nearby island of Kolombangara to fetch their drinking water.
“But not everyone here has an outboard motor canoe to go to Kolombangara.
“This is why I call on the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) to come to our help,” he said.
Director of NDMO Loti Yates could not be reached for comments when his office was contacted yesterday.
Comments will be sought from him today on what measures his office had in place to address the impacts of the current dry weather.
The long dry spell was caused by El Nino – an unusual weather phenomenon that normally brings dry weather in the tropical Pacific.
The National Weather office recently forecasted that the current El Nino is likely to continue for the next three months.
By LESLEY SANGA
