[PDF-members] Magnitude-7.0 Earthquake Rocked Solomon Islands

[June Riemer]

Hi Shahil

Hope all is well and thanks for sharing.




*June Riemer*
*Deputy Chief Executive Officer*

PO BOX A2265
SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1235
P: 02 9267 4195
M: 0402 037 745
E: juner at fpdn.org.au
    www.fpdn.org.au
*    NRS: 1800 555 677*


*NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year 2021*
*Nominee NSW Australian of the Year 2022*
*FPDN - Winner of the 2014 National Disability Award - **Improving Advocacy
& Rights Promotion*



*"**I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land on
which I work,  journey and live."*


On Thu, 24 Nov 2022 at 10:44, Shahil Chand <
Shahil.Chand at pacificdisability.org> wrote:

> 'Quite some time' after the Solomon Islands' earthquake, Savina was still
> waiting for information
>
> Pacific Beat /
>
>
>
> By Prianka Srinivasan and Melissa Maykin
>
> Posted 19h ago19 hours ago
>
> A Solomon Islands woman sitting in a bright cafe raising her right arm in
> solidarity expression
>
> Advocate Savina Nongebatu says people with disabilities are often left
> behind. (Facebook: Pacific Women Lead)
>
> Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
>
>
>
> When a powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake rocked Solomon Islands on
> Tuesday, sending items "flying around the house", Honiara woman Savina
> Nongebatu was desperate to find out if she was in danger.
>
>
>
> Key points:
>
> Disability advocate Savina Nongebatu says schools used as shelters in
> Solomon Islands are not accessible
>
> She says emergency alerts need to be sent quicker
>
> The magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Guadalcanal on Tuesday
>
> But sometime later, Ms Nongebatu, who uses a wheelchair, was still in the
> dark about what was happening.
>
>
>
>
>
> "Yesterday was quite disappointing for me as I was waiting for some
> information, and it didn't come until quite sometime later," she said.
>
>
>
> "People in the village were panicking, they were running – they tend to
> leave those with disabilities behind, not always by choice but because of
> their panicked state."
>
>
>
> The first quake hit just off the south-west coast at 1pm local time
> according to the US Geological Survey, triggering a tsunami warning.
>
>
>
> The second quake, with a magnitude of 6.0, was recorded nearby 30 minutes
> later.
>
>
>
> The Solomon Islands Meteorological Service later said there was no tsunami
> threat, but warned about unusual sea currents on the coast.
>
>
>
> According to reports, the quake damaged churches, houses and led to
> landslides in the north-west.
>
>
>
> But there have been no reports of deaths or injuries.
>
>
>
>
>
> When schools become shelters
>
> Ms Nongebatu advocates for people with disabilities in Solomon Islands and
> said it was often hard to get appropriate assistance.
>
>
>
> "It has always been difficult for people with disabilities to access
> services," she said.
>
>
>
> "To put it plainly, Honiara doesn't have a shelter so usually when we have
> disasters like this, schools become a place for shelter.
>
>
>
> "Most of these schools are not accessible for people like me who use
> wheelchairs, and my friends who are blind and deaf."
>
>
>
> Ms Nongebatu said she wanted to see improvements in communications during
> emergencies.
>
>
>
> "It would have been great to get text messages sent as soon as disaster
> hits, because people with disabilities have phones, their families with
> phones can tell them there has been an earthquake and to evacuate," she
> said.
>
>
>
> a car with its windscreen broken and bonnet bust up from fallen masonry
>
> A car damaged by falling masonry from a building in Honiara.(Supplied:
> Adilah Dolaiano)
>
> "Especially for people with disabilities, we need assistance — if not from
> our families, then from a service provider."
>
>
>
> The Solomon Islands Meteorological Service, which sends alerts on behalf
> of the government, has been contacted for comment.
>
>
>
> Ms Nongebatu said Tuesday's earthquake was so powerful it reminded her of
> a week-long series of earthquakes that rattled Guadalcanal in 1977, when
> she was just a young girl.
>
>
>
> "I was at home [yesterday] … my TV screen fell on the floor and bits of
> pieces of things went flying around the house," she said.
>
>
>
> "It was a really scary moment for all of us."
>
>
>
> Source:
> https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-23/calls-for-better-support-after-solomon-islands-earthquake/101687320
>
>
>
> Vinaka and Kind Regards
>
> *Shahil Chand* *| IT Officer*
>
>
>
> Pacific Disability Forum | Ground Floor, Kadavu House, Victoria Parade
>
> GPO Box 18458 Suva, Fiji
>
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>
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>
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>
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