http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=136617

 

Help sought for relief shelters 

MARY RAUTO 
Monday, January 04, 2010 

THE Australian government will be approached for help over a shortfall in 
tarpaulins for temporary shelters following Cyclone Mick. 

This as a report from the National Disaster Management Office saw 735 tarpaulin 
requests 570 for the Western and 165 for the Central Division. 

"We will have to check with Red Cross then liaise with Australia if they can 
supplement the rest," acting National Disaster Management Office director 
Pajiliai Dobui said. 

The tarpaulins were used to provide temporary relief for people whose houses 
were destroyed by Cyclone Mick. 

"As from December 30 the first 60 tarpaulins were distributed to provincial 
administrator Serua and provincial administrator Namosi of which 30 will be 
distributed to Beqa based on the Initial Damage Assessment. The tarpaulin is 
part of a batch of 500 tarpaulins donated by the New Zealand Government." 

Mr Dobui said the tarpaulins went to families whose homes were partly damaged 
to give owners relief until they could carry out repairs. 

"Most of the tarpaulins will go to those who lost corrugated roofing iron," he said. 

Mr Dobui said tarpaulins allocated to Naitasiri, Tailevu and Rewa would be kept 
in storage for distribution over the coming weeks. 

"The Naitasiri area will have to be sorted out before we give them out and the 
same applies to Tailevu and Rewa," he said. 

"Most of the hands that do the distribution are on leave at the moment."