News: Disasters

Tropical Cyclone Evans, which at its strongest was a Category 4 cyclone, hit Pacific Islands Nations of Fiji and Samoa a week before Christmas.  Damage was extensive and people are only now moving into early recovery. Samoa The storm damaged 1,600 houses with 688 totally destroyed. A total of more than 12,000 people were affected by the cyclone in Samoa. Critical issues include water supply, where it will be up to four months for water supply to be fully restored  ADRA helped with meeting immediate survival needs in three evacuation centres i.e. water, food, emergency shelter however...

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As cleanup from Cyclone Evans is underway, ADRA workers and volunteers in Samoa are coordinating two Evacuation Centres in Apia. Supplies, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), the Samoan Government, ADRA New Zealand and ADRA Australia, are being provided to survivors of Cyclone Evan in evacuations centres throughout the country. ADRA Samoa, with help from ADRA New Zealand, has provided accommodation for over 400 people in the last week. Mrs. Sua Julia Wallwork, country director for ADRA Samoa, says that relief operations are in full swing in Samoa. “We...

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In Nadi, amongst the fallen trees, dangling, broken power lines, smashed signs and destroyed homes is a little oasis of peace and tranquility. That place is Andrews Primary school atop the hill overlooking Nadi town. I entered the school less than 24 hours after Cyclone Evan left the shores of Fiji and not a branch or leaf was out of place. Children were playing rugby on the neatly manicured lawns and the place had a distinct feeling of calm productivity. As I tour the school, two people emerge as the reasons why this place is so well organized.  Josep Kotowala, 35, has worked in emergencies...

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Cyclone Evan left a path of destruction throughout Fiji, leaving thousands of people without power, water and, in many cases, homes a week before Christmas. ADRA Country Director, Mr. Save Cavalevu, says that while the cyclone has passed, response and recovery is just beginning. Such has been the extent of damage to communication facilities that information is still coming through from districts around the country regarding the extent of the devastation. “We have had two devastating floods in January and March that severely affected the Nadi, Ba and Nadroga districts. Then came Cyclone...

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Article Reprint - Hannah Ndungu works as the Emergency Management Coordinator for the ADRA Africa Regional Office. In this article, Ndungu shares an experience of how ADRA's work restored hope to one Ethiopian village. SILVER SPRING, Md. - In Kelafo Woreda-Somali Region of Ethiopia, lies a small village called Hargududo. The village of about 200 households whose inhabitants largely consist of agro-pastoralists are full of praise and sheer unbridled joy for what with very little words termed 'a lifeless village alive again.' I together with my colleagues from ADRA International...

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The Horn of Africa is no stranger to drought, which was most recently demonstrated in 2011 as the region grappled through a deadly famine, and according to the World Food Program affected 13 million people to date. Somalia in particular experienced devastating levels of malnutrition, leaving millions of people and their livestock in dire need of aid. Following an influx of humanitarian assistance, and an improvement in the critical rainy season, Somalia began to regain momentum towards recovery. However, a coalition of aid agencies working in the region say Somalia is not out of harms way yet,...

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An aroma of coconut and taro wafted from the dining room.  The men had just finished eating and I was invited to join the women for a meal, the second of three groups being catered for.  Laisayani Drodroa and her four children had opened up their four-bedroom home to 24 others from neighbouring Semo Village.  Her guests had arrived Friday morning, 30th March, after fleeing from their homes and the rising river that voraciously enveloped their village from two sides. Laisayani tells of waking at 6am, standing on her balcony and looking over the rising river to Semo Village.  It wasn't uncommon...

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Rain clouds blanketed the sky and the Sigatoka River banks could no longer contain the rampant rising of water.  As Daven Dass watched water levels increasing in the fields and around his house it was evident that he must lead his wife and five children to higher ground.  It was a one-mile journey to the school, which would have to be made on foot, but Daven knew his family had to leave while they still could.  The air was thick with darkness, the power had gone off and teenage daughter Karishma was scared as she carefully made her way through the relentless rain and knee deep water to safety...

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Flying into Nadi Friday night didn't allow me to see the devastation there so my first experience was meeting some of the families in Kavanagasau yesterday who had had their crops/livelihood destroyed by the flood.  I spoke to one particular family of seven who had had to flee from their home Friday night.  The power was out and it was a fearful one mile journey on foot.  The school was a safe refuge for many families in the village and it was wonderful to see their broad smiles as they waited to receive the food and WASH (water and sanitation hygiene) packs that ADRA Fiji was handing out to those...

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ADRA NZ has deployed one of our Emergency Response Team to support Fiji as they respond to last weeks devastating floods. Julie-Maree Southen will be working alongside ADRA Fiji, providing support in the area of administration, marketing and communications. Julie Maree is a professional photographer who volunteers with Civil Defence Welfare at her local church in Tauranga and is a valued member of ADRA’s Emergency Response team. We look forward to hearing from her over the next week as she reports directly from Fiji. If you would like to make a contribution to our flood response fund please click...

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