BY NED GAGAHE
Guadalcanal province police are assessing the damages caused by the 7.3 magnitude earthquake on 22nd November 2022.
The epi-centre of the earthquake at 1pm is few kilometres outside Wanderer Bay Ward, west Guadalcanal.
Few reports are also given from villagers in South Guadalcanal.
Villages that reported damages yesterday include three villages in the Duidui Ward, south of Guadalcanal – Poisughu, Chimba, and Mataruka.
Two church houses were damaged and reports of landslides along Tina River causing the river to be very murky and debris from the landslides had caused the water source undrinkable.
At Marasa village, Wanderer Bay, three permanent houses are bent to one side and are at high risk of falling over. High swells were observed following the earthquake.
In Verahue village northwest Guadalcanal landslide at their water source has rendered the water un-drinkable.
High swells were also reported at Verahue. No homes were damaged.
In Lambi northwest Guadalcanal, villagers had to be evacuated to higher grounds in fear of tsunami.
Speaking to this paper last night, Director of national disaster management office (NDMO), Jonathan Tafiariki said there has been no report of any death, although they have received reports of injuries.
He stresses that the extent of damages is still unclear.
Tafiariki said that NDMO was continuing to receive reports and that a situation report was still in progress last night when Island Sun contacted him.
He said NDMO, Police and other stakeholders conducted an arial fly-over to targeted areas in south of Guadalcanal as part of an initial assessment to assess and inspect these areas.
He said so far nothing much have been observed.
Tafiariki added that the situation report should be available today.
He said based on the outcome of the report they will inform public about the extent of the damages.
Also, based on this report they will send a team to do further assessments on the ground, he adds.
When asked about the reports of the damages in south Guadalcanal being conducted by the Police, he said they are unaware of the report.
He said they will work closely with the police to do further assessment later.
He said after a full assessment and report of the extent of the damages are made then they will deploy an assessment team to the affected areas.
