Earthquake and Tsunami

Reports

MALDIVES EMERGENCY AUSTRALIAN RELIEF TEAM

Assessment of HulhudhuffaaruIsland,  Raa atoll, 5 January 2005

Meeting / discussion with

Mr Mochtar, Community health supervisor

Ms Nazira, Family health worker

Mr Abdullah Yaanus, Kandhulhudhoo community member

Site visits to

Island health centre

Sample of houses: 5 houses visited

Situation

1233 inhabitants, (205 households) + 502 evacuees (unofficial reports of 651) from Kandhulhudhoo. (may also be from other islands).

Evacuees consider island has good port, education and aid distribution.

Island relatively recently settled (20 yrs) with resettlement from two nearby islands.

Evacuees staying in houses of friends and relatives: 3 houses with 20 or more, remainder among 50 other houses.

Men, women and children.

Some evacuees wish to settle on Hulhudhuffaaru. No damage from wave: wide streets, plenty of trees, large yards, areas of bush and coconut plantation.

Assessment

1. Accommodation

House #1: 10 inhabitants + 42 evacuees,– 8 < 5 yrs, 0 < 1 yr. All well. 6-8 persons per room. Insufficient mattresses, pillows, sheets. Given 1.5 k/cap staple food (rice, sugar, wheat)  – sufficient for another 10 days. Lack of food for children – milk, vegetables, fish. Expecting distribution of milk soon. Ferrocement rainwater tank emptied 2 days ago – now obtaining from neighbours. Cooking water from the mosque well. 2 latrines, pour-flush, septic tank satisfactory. Also use neighbours.  Kitchen satisfactory – food scraps to open pit, fly problem. Open well used for cleaning, bathing. Reported mosquito problem.

House #2: 4 inhabitants + 21 evacuees, - 3 < 5yrs, 0 < 1 yr. Grandfather died saving the children. Children had minor cuts and grazes. Three adolescents reported various health problems – referred to health centre. Apparently not previously reported on this island, despite daily visits by health worker. Only 2 days worth of food stores. No bedding supplied. Handwashing observed. Ferro-cement rain water tank, adequate supply. 1or 2 latrines, clean, connection uncertain – water discharges into smelly pit. Open dug well, chlorinated for household uses. Kitchen clean. Complaint of mosquitoes – use fans.

2. Water supply

Drinking water:

Main source is rainwater:

     14 public tanks..10 x 10,0000l ferro-cement , 6 x 5000l HDPE

     about 50% households have individual tanks, most 2, 500 litres,

Estimated sufficient water held for more than 1 month’s consumption.

Not chlorinating rainwater tanks – community don’t like the taste.

Open dug wells: household wells –generally good water (not brackish). Health centre has arranged with school volunteers to dose daily with chlorine. Adequate chlorine available (25kg).

3. Sanitation

Individual septic tanks with soakaways. All functioning satisfactorily.

Rarely de-sludge – only when blocked ( < 1 / year).

4. Solid waste management

Waste taken to about 10 sites and sorted there: combustibles burnt x 2 monthly. Frequently results in smoke over houses.

5.Vectors:

Mosquitoes are a problem. Said to originate from areas of bushland / waste disposal areas. Dengue not acquired on island. One case of scrub typhus in 2004.

6. Nutrition / hygiene / vaccination.

Daily home visits. Have not weighed or vaccinated evacuee children as yet. Will re –issue vaccination cards following receipt of data from regional office.

Additional food and infant food – cereals, fruit & veges etc – may be shortage of milk powder.

Recommendations

1. Distribution of assistance

Need to check number of evacuees, and ensure all receive adequate supplies.

Additional supplies of food suitable for small children incl milk required.

2. Accommodation

Provide additional bedding (mattresses, pillows etc).

Consider use of mosquito netting in areas of high mosquito prevalence.

3. Health services.

Review requirement for infant feeding supplements based on results of growth monitoring.

Family health worker to check numbers and any cases of illness / injury during home visits (note household with untreated cases).

4. Drinking water

Ensure access to communal supplies for households with evacuees.