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Assessment of KomandooIsland, Shaviyani atoll, 3 January 2005
Meeting
/ discussion with
Mr Abdul
Salam, Island chief
Mr Ismail Shareef, Headmaster,
member taskforce
Mr Hasan Riaz, Community health
worker
Site
visits to
Desalination
plant
Island
health centre
Taskforce
centre
Mosque
Areas of
housing damage
Situation
1600
inhabitants, no evacuees from other islands.
130 families affected immediately but most only damage to
household contents.
One
third had returned to their houses; two thirds were staying in the houses of
relatives and friends on the island, but some returning each day.
8 houses
require reconstruction. Others require some repair (windows, doors etc)
Health centre minor damage structurally: loss of medical,
pharmaceutical, laboratory equipment and stores.
Assessment
1. Accommodation
Some
temporarily housed at the school, but now returned home.
Minor
damage to house walls etc. including cracking, which may be hazardous in the
future.
Broken
and cracked asbestos roofing noted. No asbestos removal precautions observed.
2. Water supply
Drinking water:
Main
source is desalination plant, capable of producing 25 m3/day – but
storage only for 20 m3 (4 x 5kl tanks).
Provides
water through piped distribution system to individual household metered taps.
Estimated demand at 50l/cap/day = 10 m3/day (includes 300+ school
children who attend daily during school year). Desalinated water used for all
household use except toilet flushing (use rainwater /well water).
Plant
was flooded to depth of 1m – pumps damaged. Non
functioning for period 26 – 28 December, but pumps replaced and plant
functioning since 29 December. Output limited by limited storage facility.
Additional
drinking water sent in bottles and distributed at 1 bottle (1.2 l) per head
per day. 50 x 24 bottle boxes remain.
Rainwater collectors:
Household
rainwater collectors in most houses- underground in many houses: contaminated
with saltwater in damaged areas. Being pumped out, and chlorinated. Some may
contain mosquito larvae. (?)
Open dug
wells: Brackish quality – used for flushing. Not changed by the tidal wave.
3. Sanitation
Small
bore sewerage system – connected to cess pits with
screening to hold back solids.
Some
damage to household connections among damaged houses – but has now been
repaired.
No
damage to main pipelines – 5 outlets to lagoon functioning satisfactorily.
4. Solid waste management
Piles of
debris in damaged areas – mainly building materials; some wood from nearby
shipyard.
Piles of
general household rubbish: no significant rotting carcases,
dead fish etc.
Not a
public health hazard.
Solid
waste disposed in one location – previously scattered in several locations –
then burnt.
5. Mosquito control
Currently
minimal mosquito problem: thought that mosquitoes breed in adjacent
uninhabited island among vegetation.
CHW
claims that mosquito control checked on daily household visits.
Remaining
debris could provide mosquito breeding sites in future.
6. Other
Vaccines
lost: next monthly vaccination scheduled for 18th January – supply
needs to be replenished before then. .
Recommendation
1. Accommodation
Ongoing
monitoring of structural safety of affected houses.
Identify
potential asbestos exposures and recommend adequate precautions. Develop and
disseminate guidelines on the proper handling of asbestos roofing including:
 guidelines for the drilling / cutting of
asbestos containing roofing
guidelines for the handling of broken sheets
of asbestos
guidelines for the
disposal of broken sheets (landfill etc).
Asbestos
presents a hazard from inhalation when sheets are drilled / cut / or broken –
not a hazard for rainwater collection.
2. Drinking water
Need for
increased storage capacity. Requested 10 days storage x 10 m3=
100,000 l storage. Requires 16 further 5,000l tanks. Space available near
desalination plant. .
Potential
market to neighbouring islands.
3. Clearance and
removal of remaining debris
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