Earthquake and Tsunami

Reports

MALDIVES EMERGENCY AUSTRALIAN RELIEF TEAM

Assessment of Meedhoo, Island, Raa atoll, 5 January 2005

Meeting / discussion with

Mr Ahmed, Family health worker

Site visits to

Island health centre

Sample of houses with evacuees: 3 houses visited

Situation

1679 inhabitants, (230 households) + 260 evacuees from Khandhuhoolhoo scattered in 31 houses, up to 24 per house. 

Some evacuees wish to settle on Meedhoo. No damage from wave: wide streets, plenty of trees, space available for additional housing.

Assessment

1. Accommodation

House #1: 7 inhabitants + 25 evacuees,– 3 < 5 yrs, 0 < 1 yr. l. Two breast feeding, one exclusively. 5 year old with 3 days fever & cough, poor appetite, low fluid intake– taking paracetamol, not yet seen health worker. One pregnant woman.

3 sleeping rooms, but large house. Donated bedding supplied but ? insufficient. Sufficient food for a week – staples but no fruit & veges No household rainwater collector – obtain water from Mosque rainwater collector in jerrycans. Two toilets, connected to sewerage system. Four cases of bottled water provided. Kitchen satisfactory. Open well used for cleaning, bathing, chlorinated. No mosquito problem.

House #2: 4 inhabitants + 9 evacuees, - 1 < 5yrs, 0 < 1 yr. No extra mattresses so sleep in neighbouring houses. Child appeared underweight. Adequate supply of staples (1 month) – requested milk powder, Milo, biscuits. No household rain water tank, obtain from Mosque. Little storage so frequent water collecting trips. Had not received bottled water. One latrine, clean, connected to sewerage. Open dug well, not chlorinated, used for raising fish. Kitchen clean. Complaint of mosquitoes –coils not supplied.

House #3: 7 inhabitants + 17 evacuees, - 1 < 5yrs, 0 < 1 yr. All well. Crowded but comfortable. Food supplies sufficient for 2 weeks (staples, not fruit & veges). Did want to return to Khandhuhoolhoo.  Household rain water tank, adequate water. Had not received bottled water. Two latrines, clean, connected to sewerage. Two open dug well, chlorinated, used for bathing. Kitchen clean. Minor mosquito nuisance.

2. Water supply

Drinking water:

Main source is rainwater:

     24 public tanks x 5000l HDPE, all full.

     283 household tanks, most 2, 500 litres, all full.

Estimated sufficient water held for several months’ consumption.

Not chlorinating rainwater tanks – advised by MWSA that not required.

Received & distributed 620 bottles of drinking water.

Open dug wells: household wells –generally good water (not brackish). Health centre has arranged with school volunteers to dose daily with chlorine. Some used for cooking.

Adequate chlorine available (14kg – sufficient for 14 days).

3. Sanitation

Community sewerage system installed about one year. Direct to latrines, not connected to septic tanks. Four outlets discharge direct to sea at reef edge. No problems with blockage at this stage.

Did not consult with MWSA re design.

Among 32 households with evacuees, access to 52 latrines.

Separate soakage for greywater (not into sewerage).

4. Solid waste management

Waste taken to one site and sorted there: combustibles burnt x 2 weekly.

Inspection reports 18 evacuee households satisfactory solid waste management; 13 require improvement.

5.Vectors:

Mosquitoes not a major problem.

6. Nutrition / hygiene / vaccination.

Daily home visits. Collated report of health behaviours and health status of evacuees prepared. Report that 4/32 households only handwashing soap not available; 27/32 households wash fruit / vegetables with chlorine before cooking/consumption. Others advised on health practices.

15 breast fed / 9 bottle fed infants – milk supplied. 9 infants given food supplements – 23 under 3 years to be weighed.
6 infants require vaccination – to be given on 15^th.

Recommendations

1. Distribution of assistance

Household visits indicate some households in need of bedding / water supply / infant food.

2. 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 case). Current reporting system a good model for other areas.

3. Sewerage system

While discharge to edge of reef of untreated sewage should avoid pollution, potential for blockage of small bore system due to lack of septic tank installation.

Recommend installation of HDPE septic tanks progressively at household connection to sewerage system with regular pump outs to ensure not overfilled.