BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
THE Western Province Disaster Office Committee (WPDOC) has begun transitioning into the recovery phase as response efforts for Cyclone Maila continue across the province.
Deputy Provincial Secretary, Colin Potakana, said the Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) has now been completed and attention is shifting towards the verification process.
He said the verification phase is crucial to ensure the accuracy of information collected during the assessment and to provide an opportunity for communities that may have been missed to submit their reports.
Potakana said the verification process is very important because it ensures that the assessment is correct and allows communities to provide additional information where necessary.
He said the assessment teams faced a number of challenges during their deployment to affected areas.
Potakana said adverse weather conditions, limited time, and logistical constraints remained major barriers to reaching every community impacted by the cyclone.
“I’m aware that there are challenges in obtaining all the data, and there are communities raising concerns that assessment teams were unable to reach them.
“This is something that we are aware of and will take into serious consideration,” Potakana said.
He said the IDA is a critical document that will play a significant role in guiding the recovery process.
Potakana said the Western Province Disaster Office Committee and the National Disaster Operations Committee are working closely together to ensure the assessment captures all the necessary information required for recovery planning.
He said the information gathered must be realistic and accurate, as it will help determine the national recovery plan currently being prepared by the government.
Potakana said the Western Province Disaster Office will continue to work closely with the National Disaster Management Office to coordinate recovery efforts and support affected communities.
He said the Provincial disaster office is also working closely with donor partners such as UNICEF, Save the Children, World Vision and ADRA as a team to address the issues.
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