Red Cross scales down its emergency relief effort in Solomon Islands

The Solomons Red Cross is about to scale down its emergency relief effort over a week after the tsunami hit Solomon Islands.

Red Cross Secretary General in Solomon Islands, Charles Kelly, says so far they have spent three hundred thousand Solomon Island dollars on the relief effort.

Mr Kelly says they have worked with other agencies to ensure that food, shelter and tools are provided to communities hit by the disaster.

He says although many have returned to their coastal communities, there are still some who have remained in the hilltops because they are too frightened to leave.

He says while counselling is one approach, people are looking for answers to reassure them there will not be a second tsunami.

“They also need to have technical answers, like some of the islands the water is still down below, it doesn’t stay in the same levels, I think that is a technical answer that maybe geologists can give so people can know why the water didn’t return to the same level, because I think that is where the fear that is still amongst people that are distressed up in the hills.”

Charles Kelly says they will continue to provide relief supplies to affected people throughout next week with the help of two canoes, a car and a motor boat.

Source: RNZI