REPORT:
SITUATION UPDATE
DATE: 03/10/2009
AGENCY:
Disaster
Management
Office
LOCATION: National Emergency Operation Center, Faleata Fire Station
CONTACT DETAILS:-
- Telephones: 27577, 20459
- Email: - Fax: 32077
1. Background
The assessment was done on a household basis. Each household was interviewed to
obtain the information as shown in the table below.
Table 1:
Assessed by Red Cross 30th September - 01 October 2009.
NB: Assessment did not cover all affected areas on Upolu
Village
Sum of Total
People
Sum of
Dead
Sum of
Missing
Sum of
Injuries
Lalomanu Village
169
4
0
8
Lepa 434
5
0
20
Lotopue 201
0
0
0
Malaela 108
3
0
4
Mutiatele 64
0
0
0
Poutasi, Falealili
182
6
0
12
Salani 159
0
0
6
Saleapaga 76
0
0
2
Saleapaga Village
Camp 350
18
11
20
Saleaumua 218
3
0
4
Salesatele 111
0
0
0
Satitoa 379
8
1
27
Tiavea Tai
116
0
0
1
Ulutogia
169
Vailoa Village
486
0
0
2
Vaovai, (Falealili)
42
3
0
3
Vavau 54
0
0
0
Siupapa 145
1
11
Grand Total
3463
51
12
120
2. Status of response operation:
Current Status:
(a)
General Distribution of food and goods
The response relief distribution of food, water, shelter, clothes, goods such as tools for
cooking, torches, portable latrines and portable loos as well as other items urgently
needed at the evacuated sites are ongoing to the affected areas of Eva, Tiavea-tai,
Saleaumua, Malaela, Utufaalalafa, Mutiatele, Satitoa, Lotopue, Ulutogia, Vailoa,
Lalomanu, Saleapaga, Lepa, Vavau, Lotofaga, Salani, Tafatafa, Matautu Falealili,
Sapunaoa, Saanapu, Tafitoala, Samatau, Utulaelae, Sapoe, Satalo, Falelatai, Matafa’a,
Saleilua, Iliili, Salesatele, Saanapu-tai, Sataoa-uta, Manono-uta, Manono tai (Faleu,
Apai, Lepuiai), Vaovai, Poutasi, Maninoa, Saaga and Vailoa Palauli, Satupaitea.
(b)
Electricity
The electricity has been restored at the tsunami affected sites at Aleipata Itupa i Lalo
(Lalomanu - Amaile; Aufaga to Saleapaga and areas including Falealili, Siumu and
others have gotten the electricity back on now.
(c)
Roads
All the roads affected and damaged by the earthquake and the tsunami have been
repaired and cleared already.
(d)
Water & Sanitation
The pumps to all the affected areas have been reactivated except for Lepa and Lotopu’e
at the Aleipata Itupa i luga District. Six water trucks have been working on delivering
water to all the other areas that have no access to water including families that have
evacuated inland since the tsunami. Portable loos have been distributed and temporary
latrines have been constructed by Samoa Water Authority.
(e) Search & Rescue
Five hundred police officers, 16 fire service officers excluding volunteer workers have
conducted search and rescue at the affected sites. They have cleared Lotofaga, Vavau,
Aufaga, Vaigalu, Lepa, Tiavea, Samusu, Utufaalalafa, Saleaumua, Mutiatele, Lotopue,
Malaela, Satitoa, Ulutogia and Vailoa. The only other areas that have been badly
affected and yet to be cleared by the Search and Rescue teams are Lalomanu and
Saleapaga.
(f) National & International Assistance
The financial and in-kind assistance are continuing to pour in from local church
organisations, business community, schools and individuals as well as non-government
organisations. There has also been a Proclamation signed by his Highness the Head of
State declaring Samoa as a State of Emergency until the 30
th
of this month making it
easier for donor assistance as well as transport services rules waived to ensure that all
types of assistance and needs are provided immediately.
International Agencies and governments of NZ, Australia and China have also provided
assistance through the provision of medical personnel and supplies, food, water and
shelter, transportation and other experts. Samoa’s other development partners have also
relayed their planned assistance towards relief efforts, and expected to arrive in the next
day (Japan, USA, EU an ADB).
(f) Estimated Cost of damage
The revised estimate of damage to infrastructure, public and private properties is around
SAT$380 million. The confirmed death toll climbed to 135 and 310 injured as reported
by the Ministry of Police. 117 of the casualties have been identified as Samoan nationals
and identification of other casualties continues with forensic team assistance as some
discovered corpses have decomposed. Search continues for eight (8) people believed to
be missing.
Next Actions:
To continue the distribution of goods and food for the affected areas.
The forensic teams to assist with the identification of other casualties.
The government is planning to hold a national funeral service to commemorate the
lives of the tsunami victims with a planned burial at it public cemetery at Tafaigata
on Thursday 8
th
of October 2009.
To continue with the reconnection of water and electricity in the remaining affected
areas.
To continue with damage and needs assessments of the affected areas to determine
the urgent needs and confirm number of people affected and displaced families and
individuals.
2.
Relief distribution:
The distribution of food, water, shelter and tools to all affected areas are ongoing to Eva,
Tiavea-tai, Saleaumua, Malaela, Mutiatele, Satitoa, Lotopue, Ulutogia, Vailoa,
Lalomanu, Saleapaga, Lepa, Lotofaga, Vavau, Salani, Tafatafa, Matautu Falealili,
Sapunaoa, Tafitoala, Samatau, Utulaelae, Sapoe, Satalo, Falelatai, Matafa’a, Saleilua,
Iliili, Salesatele, Manono-uta, Manono tai (Faleu, Apai, Lepuiai), Vaovai, Poutasi,
Maninoa, Saaga and Vailoa Palauli, Satupaitea.
3.
Needs/Priorities:
The most affected areas are prioritised in terms of relief distribution.
The identification of other bodies of casualties is also ongoing.
There is a need for water to Manono Island as reported today that the water supply to
Manono Island is damaged and the Samoa Water Authority are currently working on
it with the assistance from the New Zealand government.
Immediate priority relief needs:
-
water storage containers
-
food storage containers
-
cooking stove
-
cooking utensils
-
cutleries
-
mosquito net
-
transistor radios and batteries
-
portable latrines
-
building tools
-
agricultural tools
-
lanterns
This list will change based on the needs of the affected people.