ONOLIMBU VILLAGE UNDERWATER

Have been in the Onolimbu area for the last two days dealing with an extrordinary situation.
Most of the coastal part of Tagaule village submerged during the quake. 58 homes underwater and the rest half buried in mud.

The locals describe great cracks opening in the earth as they ran from their buildings and water gushing up to engulf them. A mile up the coast no subsidence but a 2m high tsunami just after the quake that took out most of the beach front houses. Almost all houses along the coast have been destroyed and a town of 350 will have to be relocated as it is now completely submerged or at best a tidal zone. Some parts seem to have sunk over 2m, maybe as much as 3m.

Some villages just inland have had tents heli dropped but very little food. They do have sago and natural shelter materials but transport is very difficult. Nearest village with any kind of road is 8km through the swamps. River is silted up and blocked with trees that came down cutting that form of transport. No boats capable of the trip to GS left afloat.

We have done medical and most of the distribution now and will move south tomorrow.

Fear for these communities when the rains come. Area is dirt poor and the people very worn out and some seem quite desperate. These people are terrified of future tsunamis. They have nowhere to run. In one village they had made rough timber rafts. The photo shows the most advanced model built by the richest man in town. None of the others had drums in the corners. Tsunami escape vehicles. Heartbreaking to know that they would be useless yet the best that could be done. Feel we could provide a variation on the modified tents we built in Lho Kruet. With bigger drums and better platforms. Small investment would provide great peace of mind for these remote swamp villages.

We had some trouble at first with arguments among villages over our distribution plan but found a way to calm everyone down. Got all the villages to sit separately and then sing traditional songs in rotation. Worked a treat. Pass it on to others.

Where humor is impossible try music.