Matuku Island Villagers Struggle To Access Clean Water
Villager Lutu Baivou said they had to resort to drinking young coconut water to quench their thirst after water supply was disrupted.
Friday 17 April 2020 | 01:21
Damage to a building at Yaroi Village in Matuku Island. Photo: National Disaster Management Office
Villagers from Makadru Village on Matuku Island are facing difficulty accessing clean drinking water after the devastation left behind by Tropical Cyclone Harold last week.
Villager Lutu Baivou said they had to resort to drinking young coconut water to quench their thirst after water supply was disrupted.
Mr Baivou said they had always depended on water stored in water tanks and the dam in the village. However, both were either destroyed or contaminated during the storm surge.
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“Our water source was one of the major things that has been affected,” he said.
He also said the villagers were continuing to clean up their surroundings. On Wednesday relief supplies reached the island.
750 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) kits were distributed to affected families in Kadavu and Southern Lau.
Yaroi villagers on Matuku Island after the arrival of relief items onboard the MV Spirit of Love on April 15, 2020. The National Disaster Management Office team has also started detailed damage assessment work on the island. Photo: National Disaster Management Office
It was noted in a Ministry of Health and Medical Services brief to the National Disaster Management Office, that most toilet facilities were destroyed in the areas impacted by TC Harold.
The report added that awareness would take place in affected areas, including monitoring of skin diseases and distribution of soaps to affected communities for health and hygiene.
Edited by Jonathan Bryce
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