NEOC SITREP 7
NEOC SITREP: 7
Date: 14/10/09
Event Name: Samoa Tsunami
1
Samoa Tsunami SITREP
EVENT NAME: Samoa Tsunami
SITREP No: 7
From: National Emergency Operation Centre Date/time:
1300 hrs, 14 October 2009
Summary
Overview
A magnitude 8.3 earthquake occurred at 0648 hours on Tuesday 29 September 2009 190 km south of Apia.
The earthquake triggered tsunami waves which impacted Samoa, American Samoa and the small northern
island of Niauatoputapu in Tonga. The tsunami waves, some of which are said to have been as high as six
metres, caused fatalities, casualties and serious damage to the affected Pacific Island countries.
The parameters of the earthquake are:
Origin time
—
Tuesday 29 September 2009 at 0648 hours
Coordinates
—
15.3°S, 171.0°@W
Focal depth
—
33 km
Location
—
Samoa Islands Region
Richter Magnitude —
8.3
Proclamation status
A Proclamation was signed by his Highness the Head of State declaring Samoa as a State of Emergency on
2 October 2009. The Proclamation will remain in force for 30
days. This is intended to make it easier for
donor assistance as well as transport services rules to be waived to ensure that all types of assistance and
needs are provided for immediately.
Summary of response
The response effort is still continuing with early recovery planning now well underway. Key infrastructure
and lifeline utilities such as communications, roading, water, and power have been restored.
Government agencies, NGO’s, emergency services, international agencies and lifeline utility operators have
responded both on the ground and via their Emergency Operations Centres. The National Emergency
Operations Centre established at the Faleata Fire Station remains the central control point for the response
operation.
Summary of relief priorities
Items still urgently needed in the relief effort are:
•
Building and gardening tools
•
Food and water storage containers/ water tanks
•
Hurricane
lamps
•
Mosquito
nets
•
Building
materials
•
Cooking utensils (pots and teapots)
•
Cooking stoves (kerosene)
•
Transistor radios and batteries
•
Dining room tables and chairs
•
Desks and chairs (for schools)
•
Bedding
NEOC SITREP 7
NEOC SITREP: 7
Date: 14/10/09
Event Name: Samoa Tsunami
2
Event Status
Tsunami
The coastal areas of Samoa sustained damages with extensive destruction mainly to the south eastern coast
of Upolu Island. Damages were to resorts, family homes and community buildings, roads, power lines and
water supply located along the coastline of the affected areas.
People
Deaths:
•
The death toll remains at 143 confirmed deaths.
Missing:
•
5 people are missing.
The official search has stopped and Police Officers are now helping to clear
debris from the affected areas.
Injuries:
•
310
injuries.
Weather
The weather forecast for the next five days is for mostly warm conditions with scattered showers, however
some heavy rain is expected tonight.
Response activities
Samoan Government and responding agencies
•
Distribution of relief assistance donated by overseas governments, international organizations,
local church organizations, NGOs and IGOs such as food, water and water storage facilities,
clothing, tarpaulins/tents, building tools, sanitation facilities, medical and primary health care
supplies to victims of the tsunami are continuing with the support of the New Zealand Defence
Force and international organizations.
•
Twenty three international scientists from many countries have joined the ATRC and USP, SOPAC
and government officials in Apia as members of the team. The team will conduct assessments
including measuring maximum inundation and maximum flood run-up, type and severity of damage,
survivor experiences, collect geological samples of sediments left by the tsunami, and map their
various findings.
•
The Education, Logistics and WASH clusters will meet today.
Relief supplies/Financial assistance
•
54 water tanks are on order from the International Federation for Red Cross. International
Federation for Red Cross met with Samoa Water Authority and Oxfam yesterday to finalise a plan for
where additional water tanks should be distributed. The plan is to focus on the area from Lalomanu
to Saleamua (inland families), and provide communal drinking water with the 1000L tanks for
individual households that are positioned away from the communal supply.
•
World Vision are providing another consignment of non food items (400 Solar Powered Lamps and
120 Solar Powered Radios) this coming Saturday for distribution.
•
New Zealand's Navy multi-purpose vessel HMNZS Canterbury is now due to arrive in Samoa on
Friday 16 October) loaded with supplies and equipment. The shipment includes donated goods from
Samoan communities in Auckland, some of which will go to specific villages affected by the tsunami.
It also includes fale poles, supplies for the Samoa Water Authority and the Electric Power
Corporation.
NEOC SITREP 7
NEOC SITREP: 7
Date: 14/10/09
Event Name: Samoa Tsunami
3
•
Japan will hand over its relief donations to the National Emergency Operations Centre today.
•
The United States is sending relief donations by air and includes donations from the Samoan
Community in the United States.
•
The Chairman of the National Disaster Council expressed his gratitude the governments of Australia
and New Zealand for their joint contribution of SAT$10million which will go towards the rehabilitation
phase of the recovery. This assistance will form part of the budgetary support intended to be tabled
into Parliament early December. In the meantime, the Chairman said that the current expenditures
continue to come from the unforeseen budget as authorized under the Constitution should the relief
funds be insufficient.
Financial assistance
•
The Chairman of the National Disaster Council advises that the ACC Board yesterday approved the
entitlements to pay out to the victims of tsunami.
Donations
Two bank accounts have been established by the Ministry of Finance for lodgement of financial
donations.
Financial donations by existing Samoa Government partners may make contributions to the following
account:
Company donations – existing Samoa Government partners
Bank name: ANZ (Samoa) Ltd
Bank account name: Treasury Direct Transfer Account
Account number: 1200033
Bank swift code: ANZBWSWW
Bank address: ANZ (Samoa) Ltd, Apia, Samoa
Individual donations – private individuals and businesses
2009 Samoa Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation Account
Account number: 3826921
ANZ
Joint rapid assessment
•
The Ministry of Finance advises that the joint rapid assessment will be completed by Thursday this
week with the intention of making a formal presentation before Cabinet. The Chairman of the
National Disaster Council stressed the importance of such assessment with the planning of the
recovery phase of this disaster and in particular with the requests to be made for international
assistance apart from the current assistance received.
Early recovery activities
Electricity:
•
As of Wednesday last week, EPC has completed the restoration and repair works at the affected
areas. On Saturday, EPC commissioned and completed a high voltage circuit power supply to most
of the homes at Saleapaga, Lepa and other families that have moved inland. Lighting has been
provided to the affected areas for the time being however, this week they are working on installing a
9km line of high voltage for families clustered around the affected areas and would welcome all
requests to come directly to EPC.
Telecommunications
•
The Ministry of Communications Information Technology reports that work is underway to repair the
fibre optic cables at Lepa and Aleipata
NEOC SITREP 7
NEOC SITREP: 7
Date: 14/10/09
Event Name: Samoa Tsunami
4
Buildings
•
The Ministry of Finance report the temporary housing project for recovery phase that the Sub-
committee is preparing a paper for Cabinet consideration.
•
Masiofo Filifilia, on behalf of CARITAS, presented a proposal on the type of housing that CARITAS
intends to build. They have announced they are going to build at least 50 houses at the cost of
$20,000 average each. The structures will be simple (a cemented floor, poles and then the tinned
roof [fale talimalo]).
•
Families that opt for this type of housing assistance (whether its from NGOs or government) are
encourage to assist where possible to add walls, amenities, rooms and others should they please
rather than paying for the full costs of building an expensive house. The priority is for the families to
have a house and then they can continue with other parts themselves.
Sanitation
•
Samoa Water Authority has provided pit latrines with the assistance of IPES which has helped to
relieve the pressure on the portable toilets. They have discovered a new water source from Mt.
Lanutolo which they are investigating
Water
•
Samoa Water Authority report that all areas affected along the coastal area from Lepa to Saleaumua
are reconnected to water supply again. SWA is now concentrating on providing water to schools as
some schools have been relocated to other schools putting pressure on the water supply system.
SWA has allocated about 6 water trucks to fill the water tanks for the schools. The water tanks of
about 3,000 litres will also be provided to the families at the affected areas whilst more tanks are
needed and due to arrive on the NZ Naval Ship Canterbury.
Hospitals/Medical Care Facilities:
•
The Ministry of Health is working on prevention programs around outbreaks of diseases.
Education
•
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture reports that schools such as Ulutogia have been
transferred to Falealili Secondary School whilst students from Saleapaga have been transferred to
the Lepa Primary School. On a vist on Saturday, they discovered that they would still require water
tanks and tarpaulins for the schools. These are being delivered today to cope with increased
demand.
Transport
Roads:
•
The Land Transport Authority reports that the affected roads have been cleared and repaired with
the support of 12 contracting companies.
NEOC Status
NEOC Contacts
The Disaster Management Office has been activated in support of the event. Contact details for the DMO
are:
Disaster Management Office
National Emergency Operation Center, Faleata Fire Station
Telephone: 27577 or 20459
Email:
dmosamoa@gmail.com
Fax: 32077
The next Situation Report will be issued on Thursday 15 October 2009.
____________________________________________
National Controller
Taule’ale’ausumai Laavasa Malua