Aftershocks to continue

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

AFTERSHOCKS of the 7.3 magnitude earthquake are expected to continue for days and weeks until the movement of the tectonic plates, it is reported.

This is according to the National Disaster Council situational report number two released yesterday.

“The seismological unit of the Geological Survey Division reiterates that aftershocks are expected and is expected to continue for days and weeks until the movement of the tectonic plates responsible for the initial major earthquake ceased,” the report said.

The report mentioned that the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), Solomon Islands Meteorological Services, and the Geological Survey Division, through the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) reminds residents in on communities on South and Southwest Guadalcanal living near landslides to take extra care and not to go near the landslide areas.

Noting this is also the cyclone season and any rainfall on the landslide areas can cause further landslides.

“Communities living near major river systems are advise to observe unusual water flow, as reduce in water flow may be a result of possible damming that maybe cause by landslides.

“Such damming can result in flash-flooding if there is heavy continuous rainfall on the area,” the report says.

It also stressed that the Honiara City in collaborations with the N-DOC Infrastructure Sector Committee is conducting damage assessment on infrastructure to determine the structural integrity and safety, especially on Government owned Infrastructures (Office Buildings, Schools, etc).

N-DOC Education Sector are also conducting similar work in assisting school infrastructures.

The report says N-DOC Committee meet to deliberate plan of action and approach for implementation of possible support to earthquake affected communities through support to the GP P-DOC and HCC M-DOC.

It also adds that Guadalcanal P-DOC has deployed six (6) teams to conduct Initial Damaged Assessment (IDA) on six (6) of the wards that initially reported disaster impacts as the result of the earthquake, the IDA is part of GPs’ coordinated assessment to confirm and verify reports being received from South and Southwest Guadalcanal.

Teams deployed yesterday 26th November 2022.

The Development partners briefing was conducted on the 23 November 2022, hosted by the United Nations Joint Presence Office in Solomon Islands.

Under the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Arrangement, the UN through the head of the UNDP has the function to coordinate Donor and Development Partners Support during Disaster in collaboration with the NDMO the report says.

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