World Vision Continues Emergency Aid for Homeless Tsunami Victims

World Vision continues to provide emergency aid to thousands of people who were left homeless and injured by the tsunami in the Solomon Islands, after a quake measuring 8.0 hit the Islands on Monday.

Huge waves struck the shores and swept through villages and towns causing widespread destruction to homes, schools and churches and killing around 25 people.

Today, Paul Martell, Interim National Director for World Vision Pacific Development Group issued a formal World Vision declaration of a CAT 1 level emergency in the Solomon Islands and has appealed for a $500,000-700,000 emergency relief programme.

Around 50-60,000 lives have been impacted and World Vision reports now indicate that 10-20,000 people have lost their water supplies, at least 5,000 people are without food or shelter and around 10,000 people have lost their livelihood.

The town of Gizo continues to be the worst hit, with its buildings and infrastructure completely destroyed and hospitals still struggling to provide medical assistance after water flooded the building - many residents now have to sleep in the open in the hills above the town.

Martell said World Vision's disaster programme team had flown into the Western province to conduct assessments and plans on visiting villages in remote rural areas, as well as Gizo and Munda, to gather further information about the extent of damage.

The Christian development agency has already dispatched the first shipment of relief supplies to the islands, due to leave on a government ship on Wednesday. Work will be done on completing initial proposals over the Easter period.

"Our priority will be to not only address immediate needs such as food, water and shelter but to look at long term reconstruction and rehabilitation of those communities whose lives have been devastated by this disaster," said Martell.