From Pacific Island Report Briefs

Floods Leave Half Of Honiara Without Access To Water
Weeks of repairs expected to be required to restore supply

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, April 9, 2014) – Authorities say it could be weeks before water supplies to the capital of Solomon Islands are restored. Last week, unprecedented flooding in the Pacific island nation claimed the lives of 23 people and left 9,000 homeless. It also wreaked havoc on Honiara’s water mains, with around 50 per cent of the city now unable to access water, and pipes to one of the main water supply depots broken. Solomon Water General Manager Richard Austin said parts of the water system have been completely destroyed. “We have two levels of problem,” he told the ABC. “We’re dealing with the amount of water available in Honiara, generally, but also … provid[ing] safe basic quantities of drinking water to the evacuation centres.” Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced a $3 million aid package to help the flood recovery.