College of Design

Cyclone Management Report for Atoll, and the Cook Islands National Disaster Management Office

Volume 1, #2

Robert A. Findlay AIA, professor College of Design, Iowa State University United States of America Crisis Corps (Peace Corps) volunteer

Romani Katoa ONU Group, Cyclone Management Report for Pukapuka Atoll, Cook Islands and the Cook Islands National Disaster Management Office

Robert A. Findlay AIA, professor College of Design, Iowa State University United States of America Crisis Corps (Peace Corps) volunteer

Romani Katoa ONU Group, Rarotonga

August 1998 Cyclones are an inevitable part of life on South Pacific islands. Islanders cannot control these events, but they can manage them in order to minimize the loss of life and property. This report provides background for managing a resilient community: one that is prepared, minimizes losses, and recovers quickly.

Cover photograph Pukapuka Enua (dance group) in a Kapa Rima interpretation of performed at the Cultural Dance Festival in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, August 1, 1998.

This report was produced for the Cook Islands National Disaster Management Office with financial support from the Asian Development Bank. Additional support was provided by the United States Crisis Corps (Peace Corps) Program and the Institute for Design Research and Outreach at Iowa State University. The project was managed by the ONU Group International, Engineers and Architects, Rarotonga, and conducted on Pukapuka Atoll by the authors. Recommendations in this report are made by the authors and are based on a four-week field study on the atoll, including interviews with contributors and on-site observations, and are not the result of community decisions at this time. For more information, contact

Robert A. Findlay, professor Department of Architecture 156 College of Design Iowa State University Edited by Heather Sauer and Lee Haugen Ames, IA 50011 Designed by Mary Immesoete [email protected] August 1998 Penrhyn

Pukapuka Wale Island Roto Village Yato Village Ngake Village

Reef Cook Islands Palmerston Motu Kotawa Island Motu Ko Island Toka Island Japan

Takutea Hawaii Airport Papua New Guinea N Fiji Rarotonga Cook Islands

Map 1 Pukapuka Atoll Map 2 Pukapuka and the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Report Contents:

Introduction...... 1 1. Cyclone Risk Assessment of Pukapuka Atoll: The Islands...... 3 2. Vulnerability of the Pukapukan Population to Cyclones: The People...... 7 3. Town Planning Responses and Adjustments: The Villages...... 12 4. Village Regulation and Control: Mitigation Recommendations...... 13 5. Cyclone Emergency Responses: Preparing, Enduring, Surviving...... 15 6. Recovery and Rehabilitation: Program Implementation Documents and Activity, Time, and Cost Schedules...... 17 References...... 22

Maps 1. Pukapuka Atoll...... above 2. Pukapuka and the Cook Islands in the South Pacific...... above 3. Topography and hazardous areas on Wale...... 4 4. Topography and hazardous areas on Motu Ko...... 5 5. Topography and hazardous areas on Motu Kotawa...... 6 6. Principal features of Yato, Roto, and Ngake on Wale...... 12 7. Cyclone management recommendations for Wale...... 19

Appendices 1. Cyclones Affecting the Cook Island Group, 1904 to 1998...... 23 2. Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale...... 26 3. A Note on Mapping Pukapuka...... 27 4. TCM Recovery Program and Updates as of July 1998...... 28 Introduction Islanders of Pukapuka Atoll report cyclones at Category 1-2 (Saffir/ Simpson Hurricane Scale) to be nearly annual events, and more severe, Category 3 events each decade in recent history. Normally the cyclones strike Wale, the principal inhabited island of the three which constitute the atoll, from the west-northwest as is typical in this part of the South Pacific. Cyclone Martin, however, struck without warning during the early morning hours of November 1, 1997, from the opposite direc- tion, with strong winds and two wave surges on the eastern shoreline. In addition, tsunami-like waves were seen along the eastern shoreline in July 1997. There is no explanation, to date, for the shift in direction. Various official reports suggest that Cyclone Martin was a Category 3, causing considerable damage to the northern group of the Cook Islands, especially to Manihiki Atoll to the east of Pukapuka later that same day. The event increased awareness among Pukapukans and Cook Islanders, as well as internationally, for cyclone preparedness and mitigation ac- tions such as are included in this cyclone management study. The study covers cyclone risk assessment inherent in the physical makeup of the atoll; vulnerability of the population in social, economic, and physi- cal terms; town planning responses and adjustments to cyclone hazards in the development of the villages; recommendations for appropriate Passenger landing at Roto Village regulation and controls; emergency responses such as evacuation and the establishment of cyclone management shelters; and concludes with actual and proposed recovery and rehabilitation programs.

In conducting this study, the authors used an ecologically-based, gener- ally nonstructural approach to cyclone hazard mitigation as outlined in two sources: Living by the Rules of the Sea and Coasts of Pacific Islands. Both emphasize the economic costs and the temporary and sometimes self-defeating results of structural solutions, while recognizing the power of natural forces. They recommend removing or keeping people out of harm’s way through limitations on development locations and through maintaining intact natural systems of sea and land where they meet at the shoreline. The provision of warnings, evacuation plans, and safe havens constitutes cyclone hazard preparedness measures.

Although this study was brought about in response to the recent experi- ence with Cyclone Martin, it provides a longer-term view of cyclone hazard mitigation and preparation for future storm events. Of the three islands of Pukapuka Atoll, only Wale is inhabited year round. Motu Ko and Motu Kotawa are food reserves that are not visited during cy- clone season except for the occasional flight into the Pukapuka airport on Motu Ko. As the airport and the three-mile small powerboat ride across the lagoon to Wale are of considerable importance in emergency preparation and recovery, Motu Ko is also mapped and discussed in this study. Although Motu Kotawa is a low-lying island in the path of cyclone activity, it is less frequently visited and is not examined here 1 beyond the topographic survey. Contributors to the Study Mayor Mataa Aumatanga Island Council Ngarima Nooroto, Ngake Tere Mataio, Ngake Rukuaro Marukore, Roto Lito Tinokura, Yato Manila Matenga, Yato Ministry for Outer Island Development Isaac Itako Elisa, CEO Billy Tiro, construction foreman Department of Agriculture Paulo Paulo Mika Akariri Government Representative Office Vai Peua, Registrar Health Manongi Amosa, nurse practitioner Shopkeepers Ravarua Tutai Charlie Frisbie Pukapuka School Griffith Robati, principal Kate Robati, teacher Walewoa Teingoa, teacher Tukia Mataora, teacher Tuwunga Mataora, teacher Motu Kotawa Pule (guards) Tangitane Manila Tokoua Ravarua Onongauru Tinokura Telecom Maeraro Merota Karito Tauia Residents Walemaki Pakere Tetiare Taunga Katikity Petero ONU Group International Chris Manu National Disaster Management Office Anthony Brown Peace Corps Steven Nagler (Western Samoa) Mary Jordan (Crisis Corps) Photographs and maps are by the authors unless otherwise noted. 2

1. Cyclone Risk Assessment of The most westerly of the Cook Islands, Pukapuka Atoll is located approxi- Pukapuka Atoll: The Islands mately 715 miles northwest by north of the capital, Rarotonga. The atoll comprises three islands containing 1,250 acres that lie within an enclosed, roughly triangular-shaped lagoon. Wale is the island on which the three villages of Yato, Roto and Ngake are located. Yato has a small food reserve on Wale, Motu Niua, and another on the entire island of Motu Kotawa. Roto has a food reserve on Wale, Motu Uta, that extends northward from the village. Ngake has its food reserve on most of Motu Ko, which is also the location of the Pukapuka airport.

The northern group of Cook Islands is equally low in elevation and vulner- able to cyclone activity, although Pukapuka has a wider land mass, lending more natural protection mid-island as well as more opportunity for protec- tive setbacks and buffers to ocean waves. The existing setbacks on Puka- puka are either maintained naturally by storm winds and periodic storm surges that keep the areas clear, or local wisdom has advised avoidance of building in these areas, as there are no formal building restrictions.

Maps were produced as part of this study to illustrate the topography, vil- lage features, and the assessment of cyclone hazard risks. A more complete discussion of the development of the maps for this study is included in the Appendices. Shoreline buffer at Yato Village A scale of three levels of hazard was developed that takes into consideration topography, shoreline configuration, reef width, and human adjustments to the shoreline such as clearing vegetation and access roads. Risk was con- sidered in relation to cyclones of intensity 2 on the Saffir/Simpson Hur- ricane scale with the understanding that mitigation efforts have little effect in more severe storms. Given recent events, it is difficult and inadvisable to identify a dominant storm direction, but to consider all approaches. The effect of the perimeter reef regularizes wave impact strength and direction as waves break at the reef and tend to arrive perpendicular to the shore- line. During high-water levels, however, the reef has more effect on wave strength than on direction.

• High-risk areas include all land below one meter above sea level. • Medium-risk areas include land between one and two meters above sea level as well as areas identified by informants as being frequently inundated by storm surges and low-lying land that has been altered, resulting in hazardous conditions such as removal of shoreline vegetation and cleared roadways perpendicular to the shoreline. • Low-risk areas include land two meters or more above sea level without hazardous alterations.

3 Geography of Wale Wale is a boomerang-shaped island at the north end of the trian- gular atoll. It contains the atoll’s three permanent villages. Except in the area south of Ngake Village, the perimeter of the island rises quickly to nearly three meters above sea level. The southeastern arm rises to approximately two meters. Inland, the topography varies from the taro patches that are at or below sea level to points approaching four meters above sea level. The Keio University archaeological study reported traces of tidal waves in most areas below two and one-half meters above sea level. Shoreline embankment in Motu Uta Positive features include the broad perimeter reef combined with the fairly abrupt shoreline section on the ocean side that provides a headland resistant to wave action.

Negative features include the frequent interruption of the perime- ter high- and low-growth natural plant buffer by clearings for road access and for settlements. Many roads in the agricultural reserves are perpendicular to the shoreline, providing direct conduits for storm-surge waters to reach the inland taro patches. In the past, when these were single tracks, they were not a problem, but they have been widened and straightened to accommodate motor vehicles. The lower-lying southeastern arm receives the brunt of cyclone winds crossing the atoll. The taro patches also are invaded Roads perpendicular to shoreline by storm waters crossing the lagoon and entering the southern end of the central chain of taro patches on the island.

Map 3 Topography and Hazardous Yato Roto Areas on Wale Village Village Scale 1:≈10,000 Ngake N Legend Village High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk Approximate Limits of Coral (outer) Approximate Limits of Coral (upper) Edge of Coral Sand Mean High Water Mark - Shoreline

4 Geography of Motu Ko Although the height of land on Motu Ko, the agricultural reserve and airport island in the southeast corner of the triangular atoll, reaches five meters above sea level, that is only in the very southeast headland. The airport runway is at about three meters, and the remainder of the island lies at one to two meters above sea level. The upper arm of the boomerang-shaped island is barely one meter, and much of the lower arm is at one to two meters above sea level. The thatched, pole structures that are in seasonal use are arranged continu- ously along the lagoon shoreline, mostly at an elevation of about one meter.

Positive features include a well-planted coral berm, largely the remainder of the four- to five-meter natural south ocean shoreline that was retained when the east-west airport runway was leveled just to the north. Natural high- and low-growth plant materials are retained around most of the perimeter of the island, between the perimeter road and the shoreline. This buffer zone appears to be uninterrupted and unaffected by Cyclone Martin. An island councilor for Motu Ko reported that there was no torm-surge problem with Cyclone Martin, but that wind and water damage occurred more in the middle of the island.

Negative features include frequent, cleared agricultural access tracks that cross the entire island in straight lines. In a storm surge, these paths can conduct seawater into central agricultural land and allow it to scour the land with an uninterrupted flow. The upper arm of the island is low lying and appears particularly vulnerable to this action. Cyclone Martin brought a mixture of rain and saltwater that reached the mid-island taro patches, requiring at least a six-month wait for additional rainwater to dilute and carry the salt back into the subsoil before complete replanting could begin.

Legend

N High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk Approximate Limits of Coral (outer) Approximate Limits of Coral (upper) Edge of Coral Sand Village Mean High Water Mark - Shoreline Settlement

Airport Runway Map 4 Topography and Hazardous Areas on Motu Ko 5 Scale 1:≈10,000 Geography of Motu Kotawa Motu Kotawa is the smallest of the three principal islands of the Pukapuka Atoll. It is the food crop-reserve island of the village of Yato, and, as such, is inhabited only periodically during harvest seasons. It is not typically occu- pied during cyclone season. Dwellings are of the traditional pole-and-palm- thatch type. There is a concrete church structure and several pole-frame and metal-roof communal structures. There are several tanks for the storage of rainwater that is collected from these roofs. All structures are clustered in a small village on the northeastern shore on the lagoon side. The remainder of the island is dense and rich with native and introduced crops, including some taro patches, , bananas, papaya, breadfruit, pandanus, arrowroot, and other experimental plantings. A bird sanctuary is located at the western end. Although the land is low lying, reaching a height of only three meters along the south ocean shoreline, it is well protected by a broad that moderates storm-surge waves before they reach the shoreline. The shoreline itself has a nearly continuous band of consolidated coral that acts as a sea wall. Cyclone damage on the island, therefore, is mainly from strong winds that affect the exceptionally tall-growing crops and trees.

Map 5 Topography and Hazardous Areas on Motu Kotawa Scale 1:≈10,000 Village Settlement N Legend Bird Sanctuary Taro Patch

Legend High Risk Airport Runway Moderate Risk Low Risk Approximate Limits of Coral (outer) Topography and Hazardous Approximate Limits of Coral (upper) Edge of Coral Sand Areas on Motu Ko Mean High Water Mark - Shoreline Scale 1:≈10,000 6 2. Vulnerability of the Pukapukan The vulnerability of Pukapukans is considered in terms of the direct effects Population to Cyclones: of cyclones as well as social, economic, and physical aspects that affect The People recovery and rehabilitation efforts. About 800 Pukapukans live on the atoll, and as is typical of Cook Islanders, increasing numbers of Pukapukans are living in Rarotonga and in New Zealand. A significant fact about the popu- lation is that there are a proportionately larger number of residents in the 15 to 64 age bracket than on the other atolls, indicating that fewer people in this age range emigrate. These numbers suggest that an able-bodied, working-age population is present on the atoll and available for recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

Pukapukans are organized into three interdependent villages on Wale Island. Land is held by extended families and in large village reserves, which are periodically reallocated for equality and sustenance. Extended families raise the children, and food-sharing groups are organized in the villages. While individual village identity adds vitality to everyday life on the atoll, Pukapukans also recognize their economic and life-sustaining interdepen- dencies and need for sharing. The villages share their specialty food produc- tion islandwide: and crabs from Ngake, taro from Roto, and coconuts from Yato. Competition among villages adds enjoyment to every- day life on the atoll, but in preparation for the 1998 Cook Island Games, a single group of athletes and performers trained for the events.

In terms of institutions, the island has one school and three churches with members from all villages. There is a single village government, i.e., an Island Council with two elected members from each village plus a mayor elected islandwide. Although the ariki or island chief role is recognized by islanders, no one has been chosen by the traditional ruling family to hold the title for the past 20 years. A single constable provides law enforcement on the island. There is a single representative of the national government and a CEO of the Ministry of Outer Island Development (MOID).

Vulnerability due to Geographic Isolation Pukapuka is one group among the 15 scattered islands within the Cook Islands (see Map 2), an internally self-governing state with strong political and economic ties to New Zealand. Geographically, the country is divided into two halves: a southern group composed mostly of high, volcanic islands and a northern group of low coral atolls. Pukapuka belongs to the latter group. The atoll itself is small, estimated to be 1,250 acres for the three islets, and is located at 11 degrees 55 minutes south latitude and 165 degrees 50 minutes west longitude. That places it approximately 390 miles northeast of Samoa and 715 miles north-northwest of Rarotonga, capital of the Cook Islands. Its nearest Cook Island neighbors are Nassau, 42 miles to the southeast, and Manihiki and Rakahanga, 286 miles to the northeast.

7 Vulnerability due to Climate Pukapuka has a tropical climate. The average mean temperature based on records from 1930 to 1974 is 27.9 degrees centigrade. The yearly rain- fall averages 2,841 millimeters. Pukapukans have reported several major cyclones in their history. The legendary 17th-century cyclone reduced the island population to 14, who are thought to be the origins of the current family genealogy. Technically, according to Borofsky (1987), the island lies outside the “hurricane belt,” but during the past 80 years hurricanes (cyclones) have ravaged the atoll, causing acute food shortages. In this century, the 1914 cyclone destroyed the original village site of Ngake at the southern tip of Wale. The sand upon which the village stood was blown away, and villagers established a new settlement in its current location adja- cent to Roto. Major cyclones struck Pukapuka again in 1942 and in 1967. Recent significant storms include Cyclone Sally in May 1987 and Cyclone Martin in November 1997.

Vulnerability due to Isolation from Information Pukapuka is in daily contact with the other Cook Islands through a morn- ing shortwave radio exchange. Telecom is available to subscribers, but the national airline visits only on demand, rarely more often than monthly, and the single Cook Island cargo visits less than bimonthly on its rounds. There is no newspaper, national broadcast radio or television. Indi- viduals have shortwave radios, and television viewing is limited to video- tapes brought to the atoll by travelers. Rarotonga newspapers are posted in shops, and public announcements appear on neighborhood notice boards.

Telecom facility Socioeconomic Vulnerability Although they participate in a national market economy, Pukapukans are the most self-sufficient of Cook Islanders. Theirs is a communal society, sharing and trading to satisfy needs, and selling only the excess crops or catch from the sea. A few shops sell imported, tinned food and drink and domestic supplies. The few local export industries are limited to handcraft- ed items such as hats and brooms. Once a major island product, copra has fallen in market price and has not been produced for 20 years on Puka- puka. As a result, the atoll’s contribution to the Gross National Product is comparatively low, and Pukapuka experiences a certain vulnerability as it does not appear to command attention in the national allocations of funds.

To understand how this affects disaster response funding, recovery and rehabilitation efforts must be separated from hazard mitigation. This is difficult, as good recovery and rehabilitation efforts include aspects of miti- gation from future storms as well as recovery from past events. Damage to Manihiki from Cyclone Martin, for example, was clearly most severe

8 among the Cooks, and recovery funds are being used doubly for mitiga- tion and preparations for future storm events, a risk all Cook Islanders face equally. While recognizing the severity of the short-term reconstruction need on Manihiki, from a humanitarian point of view, one would expect Pukapuka and the other Cook Islands to receive mitigation assistance regardless of socioeconomic situation.

Vulnerability due to Transportation Limitations The shipment and transfer of goods and construction materials needed for recovery and rehabilitation efforts is made difficult by the distance, infre- quency, and limitations of materials transfer. As previously described, the atoll is served infrequently by cargo and by small aircraft, although larger emergency aircraft can land on Pukapuka’s runway on Motu Ko. Materials arriving by air, however, must be transferred to small aluminum powerboats for transport approximately two miles across the lagoon to Wale, the principal island. As there are only small channels through the reef, cargo arriving by ship must be transferred to these same small boats for transport through the lagoon to the beach at Wale. Airplane fuel ar- rives on Wale by boat and must be transferred to Motu Ko. Government Storage shed at Yato fuel supplies must be transported by ship, boat, and truck for storage in the Government Reserve. There are no docking facilities other than the beach, and only an open-air, unsecured shed, formerly used for copra, is available at the beach for temporary storage of goods and materials. There is a small passenger dock at the Roto landing and an oceanside, coral- concrete jetty in Ngake that is used seasonally.

Vulnerability due to Limited Health Services Although Pukapuka has a clinic with limited hospital facilities, there is no doctor or dentist. A nurse practitioner acts as clinician, tooth extractor, and midwife with the help of two nurses. They report a chronic shortage of medications and skills to handle emergencies and more complex medi- cal problems. Power supply for lighting to the clinic is provided by solar panels as is typical of houses on Wale, but the generator for other power needs is out of service as of August 1998.

9 Resource Capabilities In the previous sections, vulnerability aspects are outlined. The follow- ing is an assessment of the requirements and resource capabilities of Pukapuka aimed at implementing programs typically identified in re- covery programming. Specific constraints to the provision of resources and project management include the following. • The maintenance of community buildings, schools, and infrastructure has been a problem on most outer islands due to lack of funds and transportation. • Materials should be selected to achieve the longest initial life practical, and that are within the skills and resources of the people of Pukapuka to maintain. • The financial constraints of the community will be a significant factor in its ability to capitalize on the MFEM (Ministry of Finance and Economic Management) and ADB (Asian Development Bank) assistance. • Transportation of necessary resources for rehabilitation programs is difficult due to infrequent shipping and aircraft travel to Pukapuka. • Because materials must be transferred to small power boats for transfer to Wale, there are size limitations on materials and frequent damage. • Agricultural replanting and regeneration programs need to be sustainable — suited to Pukapukan climate and soils.

Damage Assessment from Cyclones To assess the vulnerability of Pukapukans to cyclone hazards, residents were asked to describe damage in recent years and the hazardous areas in the villages and throughout Wale. Cyclone Sally struck Pukapuka from the northwest in May 1987. A storm surge crossed the southern- most part of Yato Village, depositing approximately one-half meter of new sand from the copra shed to a considerably extended shoreline. The water continued across the inner lagoon and principal road and reached the front of the Cook Islands Christian Church in Roto. Water also overflowed the northwestern shoreline, crossed the Yato cricket Typical concrete house fields and entered the lagoon. The wave continued across most of lower Ngake, but stopped short of the ocean shoreline before receding. Salt- water entered the main taro swamps from the lagoon to the southwest. The remaining damage from Cyclone Sally is to the causeway, which is usable but has not been completely reconstructed. The sidewalls were toppled, and the paved surface was floated to the side by the storm surge in 1987. The walls have not been rebuilt, and the drive surface has been filled with coral sand fill that remains at a lower level than the original causeway.

Storm-surge damage from Cyclone Martin was limited to a few Typical pole-and-palm-thatch house concrete residential structures and a few deteriorated pole houses 10 located along the southeast shoreline, notably the doctor’s and gov- ernment residences in the Government Reserve, and the residential sec- tion of the Catholic Hall. The water was channeled by the high curbs on the cross-Ngake road into the taro patches in Ngake. Wind damage was more extensive, especially in the loss of several traditional pole houses and food-producing trees, such as breadfruit and coconut, throughout the atoll. The strong winds also removed the cover from public water-storage tanks. Rainwater was reported to have inundated the taro patches, a primary food source for islanders.

A survey of damaged areas was completed by the Ministry for Outer Island Development (MOID) and the ONU Group engineer shortly after Cy- clone Martin in November 1997, and is incorporated here. The survey did not assess the value of damages, but was meant to provide a fair identifica- tion of components to incorporate in recovery and rehabilitation programs for Pukapuka. Specific damage identified at that time, with July 1998 updates, includes the following. • Damage to coastal public and private properties including government buildings, collapse of thatched pole houses, minor damage to three churches (CICC, RCC, and SDA), and some damage to a road culvert causeway. July 1998 update: The government and the doctor’s residences in the Gov- ernment Reserve area, and the dwelling section of the Catholic Hall, are all concrete shoreline structures that were significantly damaged by Cyclone Martin. The collapsed pole structures have been removed. • Extensive damage to the subsistence agricultural resources: coconut trees – 80 percent uprooted; taro plantations – 90 percent; banana trees – 60 percent; breadfruit trees – 20 percent; and other trees – 40 percent. July 1998 update: The estimates of uprooted trees appear high; many taro patches have been regenerated, but the two southernmost swamps on Wale remain barren and are reported to have been repeatedly affected by storms prior to 1997. Large areas on Motu Ko remain fallow due to high water and for lack of taro roots for replanting. Breadfruit tree loss was reported be ex- tensive. New growth is sprouting from remaining roots, and root divisions have been planted, but 10 years are required for the first edible crop. • Community water tanks damaged and unusable (two minor and two major). July 1998 update: There are five pairs of community water tanks that collect rainwater from overhead roofs. They were installed in 1953-57 and are in varying states of repair. One pair is inactive; the four other pairs are deterio- rating but in active use. The pair at the school appears to be well maintained by being periodically drained and cleaned. All 10 tanks risk failure with multiple leaks between precast concrete staves and missing and corroding retaining rods. Diagonal bracing of roof collection structures is missing at all five sites, further increasing the risk of system failure. During rains there is much overflow of the gutters. The catch capacity of these systems would be Water tanks at Pukapuka School (1957) greatly improved by realigning gutters at roof edges and by adding a second rain leader from each gutter to the tanks. A functioning water reserve system is central to cyclone hazard mitigation and recovery on Pukapuka. 11 Town planning responses and adjustments should include cyclone haz- 3. Town Planning Responses ard mitigation objectives. Community development decisions often are and Adjustments: The Villages directly influenced by cyclone hazard risks, but they may be indirectly beneficial or hazardous when they are the result of other considerations. This study was interested in conditions that specifically address cyclone hazard mitigation, such as:

• measures to minimize loss of life in future cyclones, • reduction in the loss of private property and community facilities in future cyclones, • a secure water supply, • adequate sanitation, • agriculture regeneration, • quicker recovery from future disasters, and • institutional strengthening.

Main road through the three villages

Legend Motu Uta Cook Islands Christian Church Roman Catholic Church Roto Seventh Day Adventist Church Yato Meeting House Yato Roto Meeting House Taro Ngake Meeting House Patches c Cemetery

Marae Taro Patches c c Mataala Pukapuka c Telecom School Motu Niua c Pukapuka School c Water Tanks CICC

SDAC Teutu Water Tanks Passenger Motu Uta CICC Landing YMH NMH Government Reserve G.R.’s Residence Dr. Residence N Yato Storage Shed Waletoa Water Tanks Water Tanks c RCC c Ngake Roto Beach Landing c

Map 6 RCC Hall Principal Features of Yato, Ngake Jetty Roto and Ngake on Wale Scale 1:≈10,000 12 Pukapukans have adjusted their settlements in response to the natural forces of wind and water over the years. The three villages of Yato, Roto, and Ngake form a continuous settlement along the relatively protected lagoon shoreline with only a portion of Roto and Ngake extending eastward to the ocean shoreline. A primary “spine” road passes through the three villages just inland from the lagoon with a major branch to the east extending to the ocean jetty in Ngake. The cyclone-prone areas to the northwest and northeast are held as village agricultural reserve lands that contain only seasonal dwellings. Historically, Yato Village was expanded westward, building a causeway across a branch of the lagoon, but stop- ping short of the northwestern shore that is the traditional location of cyclone wave activity. Ngake villagers moved northward after the 1914 cyclone, to land adjacent to Roto Village, in order to remove themselves from the frequent inundations of the southeastern lowlands. Only two households maintain seasonal residences in that area at this time. South Ngake former village site On Pukapuka the focus is on proactive protection from future storm events. Although there are no formal building regulations, the setbacks along the northern and western shores, as well as in the southeast lowlands of Wale, are enforced by nature, neighborly advice, and/or common wisdom, and they appear to be effective. These setbacks are generally densely planted with coconut palms and breadfruit trees, providing further resistance to the impact of storm surges and high winds. Where the plantings were sparse, along the Government Reserve and around the Catholic Hall, there was structural damage to buildings that received the full force of Cyclone Martin. The Pukapuka School, although located along the north shore, has recent shoreline plantings as well as the expanse of recreation fields to buffer the classroom buildings from storms. The plantings, some new and some long-established, include appropriately dense and low-growing ngayu (Scaevola frutescens) and ngangie (Pemphis acidula) plants as well as bread- fruit and coconut trees found elsewhere along the shoreline.

4. Village Regulation and Control: As described in Section 3, the effects of wind and water certainly have in- Mitigation Recommendations fluenced the course of development of Pukapuka, both by local wisdom, neighborly advice, and by informal village regulation. In this section are recommendations for improved cyclone hazard mitigation. The objectives of hazard mitigation also were outlined previously in Section 3.

Although areas that serve as natural buffers to hazardous areas are found in several parts of the island, they are not continuous nor as effective as they might be. Recommendations for an implementation program aimed at medium- to long-term cyclone resilience of Pukapuka, the ability to bear and rapidly recover from storms, are described in Map 7 on page 19 and in the chart following. Low-growth protective vegetation 13 Cyclone Hazard Mitigation (adapted from AC Consulting Group report, December 9, 1997)

Sources of Risk How the Risks may be Mitigated

Breaking waves Avoid development in areas where the wave form will be accentuated: lower areas, totally cleared areas, coastal indentations, and landings. Do not expect people to cross high-hazard areas to reach cyclone shelter. Cyclone shelters are recommended, therefore, in three locations on Wale Island: at the school, at Marae Mataala, and at the Government Reserve at safe distances from primary residential areas. Manage high-hazard areas as conservation planting zones.

Deep flowing water Locate cyclone shelters throughout the settlements so that people do not need to move any farther than necessary to reach shelter. Provide safe platforms for life and personal possessions three meters above sea level. Provide life jackets for every household.

Hurricane winds Build all new structures to cyclone-resistant standards. Limit vegetation clearance and encourage planting to maintain buffers in and around village settlements.

Windblown trees and coconuts Remove overhanging coconut trees and regularly remove coconuts near homes and along roads. Introduce shorter coconut species and replant the high-hazard zones between the sea and the villages.

Waterborne and windborne debris Construct buildings and homes to be cyclone resistant. Use horizontal reinforcement in all concrete buildings. Secure sheet roofing and wall cladding. Remove deteriorated and hazard-prone buildings. Build reinforced floor slabs at least one meter above ground level. Incorporate water tanks in the foundation, when feasible, and provide deeper footings to prevent scour and flotation. Align buildings to be parallel to the anticipated wave direction. Provide secure storage to prevent environmental pollution and loss of property.

Contamination Secure chemical and fuel storage. Relocate fuel storage inland from the hospital. Seal sanitation facilities. Seal water storage against saltwater contamination.

Scour Provide substantial and deep footings. Lay Telecom and power lines at least 600 millimeters below surface level in narrow trenches cut using a coral renching saw. Align roads so that they are parallel to shoreline. Close openings or realign roads that are perpendicular to the shoreline to limit conduction of seawater inland to agricultural and village areas. Plant and maintain dense ground cover within high-hazard areas. 14 5. Cyclone Emergency Responses: Contributors to this study felt that islanders are well organized to respond Preparing, Enduring, Surviving to cyclone warnings. The problem with Cyclone Martin was that there was no advance warning of the storm event. Before the first warning was sent from Rarotonga to Pukapuka, New Zealand radio was reported to have broadcast a third warning. There appears to be difficulty in monitor- ing and detecting cyclones that emerge in the open South Pacific.

Warnings Official cyclone warnings typically reach Pukapuka via Telecom news bulletins from Rarotonga, which receives regional weather news from Fiji. A standing emergency response committee is immediately called into ac- tion on Pukapuka. Recommendations: There should be a national upgrade of storm detection and warning capacity. In terms of providing a cyclone warning system, the present system of community notification from responsible sources appears to be effective in personally reaching all residents.

Communications Communication of cyclone warnings on the atoll is accomplished quickly and thoroughly due to the communal nature of family and household structure on the islands. Boys’ Brigade (Cook Islands Christian Church) and Boy Scouts (Roman Catholic Church) go door to door to warn residents. Recommendations: Educate each household to develop an evacuation plan, including secure storage of valuable possessions and securing house- hold goods from damage and loss. Educate each household to gain safe access to cyclone management shelters or to other protection, and to have a plan to account for household members after the storm subsides.

Evacuation Given timely warning, Pukapukans make appropriate preparations for the storm. Public employees use public works trucks to pull small craft out of the lagoon and to help residents and shopkeepers move valuables to higher ground. Most residents weather the storm at home, and many others relocate to the inland homes of relatives. Volunteers, Boys’ Brigade and Boy Scouts help elderly and other people in need with evacuation to higher ground, typically Marae Mataala. Prior to and during the storm, public employees maintain three tractors with trailers, one in each village, to respond to emergency requests for evacuation. Recommendations: None.

15 Cyclone Shelters during the Storm The traditional refuge is the guard shelter for Motu Uta at Marae Mataala, one of the highest and most inland points on Wale. Although traditionally sacred ground for Roto Village in its food-crop reserve, there have been no limitations on its use in emergencies. The shelter is a wood-pole structure with metal roofing. A rainwater collection and storage system and a few pit toilets are located on the site. The facility appears to be too small to contain the population of Pukapuka, and does not have sidewalls or enclosed storage for emergency supplies. Recommendations: Develop cyclone management centers on Marae Mataala, at the Pukapuka School, and in the Government Reserve in order to decentralize and improve emergency access to shelters on Pukapuka.

Immediate Post-storm Responses: Water, Food, Communications and Removing Hazardous Conditions A standing committee of nine people, three from each of the three villages, is charged with overseeing cyclone management. During and immediately after a storm, public employees gather at the government building in the Govern- ment Reserve to await and to respond to emergency calls from residents. Recommendations: None.

Cleanup and Removal of Storm Evidence An important activity in the recovery process is the quick removal of storm evidence. Cleanup not only removes hazardous debris, it improves emergen- cy access to village infrastructure, facilitates recovery activity, and is psycho- logically beneficial to inhabitants by removing reminders of the storm event. Recommendations: None.

16 6. Recovery and Rehabilitation: The major portion of this report provides background information on Program Implementation Documents Pukapuka Atoll: island morphology, population vulnerability, town and Activity/Time/Cost Schedules layout, recommended controls and regulations, and emergency response. The authors’ intention is that this report, or selections from it, accom- pany local, national, and international requests for assistance for any of these short-term needs as well as for post-cyclone, longer-term recovery and rehabilitation. Due to Pukapuka’s recent experience with Cyclone Martin, and its experience with periodic and smaller events, several ongo- ing mitigation efforts are outlined below and in the previous section, and three areas of recovery and rehabilitation appear to be appropriate at this time: protection of the taro patches from saltwater immersion in Ngake, construction of a wharf at the Yato beach landing, and the establishment of three cyclone management centers.

Program Implementation Documents A brief summary of mitigation activities is provided here, including project descriptions, priorities, and rationale. Program Implementation Documents (PID) would be prepared when funding requests are pro- duced for these activities. See Appendix 4 for a sample PID and updates for recovery work in progress on Pukapuka.

Ongoing: Several cyclone hazard mitigation activities that were recom- mended in the village controls and regulations section may be carried out as part of day-to-day operations of the government and private sectors Shoreline cleared of protective vegetation within existing budgets. These include:

• the closure of seaside openings to agricultural roads that are direct conduits of seawater into the taro patches, • the interruption of the direct paths of seawater at the southeast Ngake jetty and the southwestern end of the main village road of Yato, • the planting and maintenance of low-growth protection along openings in the shoreline, and • the adoption and enforcement of cyclone-resistant building regulations.

Activities Requiring Larger Amounts of Funding: Priority #1: Cyclone Management Center at the Pukapuka School Funds have been allocated and work has begun on a new toilet and shower facility and the water reserve tanks at the school. These improve- ments to the school facilities will benefit the students and visitors on a daily basis as well as improve the capacity of the school classrooms to be converted to a cyclone management center when necessary. In addition to the toilet and shower facility, further development of a food preparation area would be helpful. Pukapuka School Cyclone Management Center 17 Priority #2: Protection of the Taro Patches (see Map 7) With the limited funds available and promised for recovery work, it is recommended that the taro patches, a principal food source for Pukapukans, be protected from periodic immersion in seawater. This is a recurring problem, even with smaller cyclones, and may be miti- gated — at moderate cost — by the development of a broad, densely planted earth berm along the lagoon shoreline in upper Ngake. The storm surges during Cyclone Martin were channeled between the concrete curbs from the east jetty all the way to the taro patches. This condition requires mitigation as well, either by removing the curbing Barren taro patch or by interrupting the direct path from the jetty into the village road.

Priority #3: Cyclone Management Center on the Government Reserve As the population of Pukapuka Atoll is about 800, and residents live in three contiguous villages, and the Pukapuka School Cyclone Management Center is at the far northwestern end of the villages, it is appropriate to decentralize the centers and locate them within easy distances for safe emergency access. The development of a second center at the Government Reserve would serve the complementary purpose of improving sanitation, communications, and power capaci- ties for the Pukapuka hospital, Ministry of Outer Island Develop- ment (MOID) services, and Pukapuka government facilities that are already located in the reserve. The government structures also serve as a social center for Pukapukans during the course of the year, with Government Reserve Cyclone Management Center many community gatherings that would benefit from these improve- ments as well. This single-story center, built on a one-meter-high base, should be located in the northern corner of the government re- serve land, convenient to the hospital and distant from the shoreline.

Priority #4: Cargo Transfer Facility at Yato There are severe limitations on size, weight, and fragility of cargo that arrives on Pukapuka. Cargo ships must anchor outside the reef and off-load goods to small power boats for transfer through the passage and on to the beach at Yato. This operation would be greatly im- proved by the construction of a wharf parallel to the natural shoreline near the cargo shed. The depth of the lagoon at that point is suitable for current boats and possible barges. A gently sloping wharf, paral- lel to the natural shoreline, would accommodate changing heights of tides, boats carrying different weights of goods, and would not inter- rupt normal movement of passenger and fishing boats on their way to Beach landing at Yato the Roto jetty (see Map 7).

18 Priority #5: Cyclone Management Center at Marae Mataala The traditional site on which Pukapukans seek shelter is the Marae Mataala, one of the highest points in the middle of Wale Island. Al- though it is on the Motu Uta reserve, which belongs to the villagers of Roto, there is no restriction of its use by Yato and Ngake villagers dur- ing cyclone emergencies. Mataala is actually the site of the pule or guard station for the food-crop reserve of Motu Uta and in recent years the site of experimental agricultural developments. It would be appropriate Marae Mataala Cyclone Management Center to develop this site both as a third cyclone management center and as a place for learning about advances in appropriate agricultural practices for Pukapukans. Given its height, about 3.5 meters above sea level, a single- story structure with classrooms, meeting rooms, and offices that could be converted to emergency shelters would be appropriate. Improvement in the water storage, toilets and showers, and cooking facilities would complete the center.

Map 7 Dense Pacific Ocean “Low Growth” Cyclone Management Dense Planting “Low Growth” Recommendations for Wale Planting Scale 1:≈5,000 Taro Patches Dense “Low Growth” Marae Mataala Planting Cyclone Management Center

Dense “Low Growth” Pukapuka School Planting Motu Niua CICC Yato Cyclone Management Center

Government Reserve Cyclone Management Center Storage N Building Densely Planted Dense Berms “Low Growth” New Wharf Planting Reef Passage Ngake Jetty Dense Lagoon “Low Growth” Planting

19 To Airport

This study was undertaken in order to enhance community preparedness Report Conclusions for future cyclone events on Pukapuka Atoll in the Cook Islands. It also served to develop a model for such studies of other Pacific islands. With backgrounds in community design and planning, the authors drew from many perspectives in preparing this study, including anthropology, ar- chaeology, geology, geography, architecture, town planning, sociology, and most important, the experiences of Pukapukans. The generous hospital- ity and participation of the islanders on Pukapuka made both objectives achievable during the four-week stay by the authors on the atoll. Specific activity, cost, and time schedules, the next steps in hazard mitigation activity, will be developed as projects advance.

Government Reserve Cyclone Management Center

20 21 Map resources include: References Aerial Plan No. 1036/8d, H.O. Department of Lands & Survey, RNZAF, 1975. Borofsky, Robert, Making History: Pukapukan and anthropological constructions of knowledge, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1987.

Chikamori, Masashi and Shunji Yoshida, An Archaeological Survey of Pukapuka Atoll, 1985, Tokyo, Keio University, 1988.

Bathymetric map of Cook Islands - Pukapuka lagoon SOPAC bathymetric series Map 5, 1992.

Other references: Assessment of Cyclone Shelters for Manihiki, draft report for the Tropical Cyclone Martin Recovery Task Force, Cook Island Government, AC Consulting Group, Ltd., NZ, 1997.

Beaglehole, Ernest and Pearl, Ethnology of Pukapuka, New York, Kraus, 1971.

Bush, David M., Orrin H. Pilkey Jr., and William J. Neal, Living by the Rules of the Sea, Durham, NC, Duke University Press, 1996.

Easther, Victoria, “Disaster preparedness programmes in the South Pacific: are the programmes appropriate? A case study for the Water Sector in the Cook Islands,” University of Wellington, NZ,1994.

Evacuation Centre Management, USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and Cook Islands National Disaster Management Office, 1998.

Frisbie, Robert Dean, Mr. Moonlight’s Island, New York, Farrar & Rinehart, 1939.

Population of the Cook Islands, Country Monograph Series No. 7.3, New York, United Nations and Noumea, New Caledonia, South Pacific Commission, 1983.

Richmond, Bruce M., Coastal Morphology of Rarotonga, Cook Islands, CCOP/SOPAC Technical Report 65, 1990.

Sherwood, Alan and Russell Howorth, Coasts of Pacific Islands, SOPAC Miscellaneous Report 222, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, 1996.

22 Appendices Appendix 1. Cyclones Affecting the Cook Islands, 1904-1997 (based upon Victoria Easther report: as compiled from Cijffers (1985) and NZMS (1992) with *authors’ updates)

Date Description ______1904 Hit Aitutaki, Mangaia and Mauke, inflicting little damage but causing the sea to rise 10 meters at Mangaia. 1906 Gales of almost hurricane force battered Penrhyn, Manihiki, and Rakahanga for nearly five weeks between 15 January and 20 February. Moderate damage. 1914 8-10 January. Suwarrow, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Atiu, and Aitutaki struck by hurricane-force winds when huge seas overwhelmed the first three islands. At Aitutaki and Atiu nearly all the houses were demolished or unroofed. Coconut and orange plantations were completely devastated. In no case was there an immediate shortage of food supplies, although support through public works was considered necessary to tide over until replacement food crops were produced. *Pukapuka was also struck in 1914, destroying and causing the relocation of Ngake village from southernmost Wale Island. 1925 16-21 December. Southern Cooks. Severe. 1926 29-30 March. Severe blow. Described as worst for 30 years. Quick action to save oranges. Twelve months for the people to recover. Assistance of provisions to Palmerston Atoll for building materials and relief provisions — island would not be productive for 18 months or so. Repairs required to Aitutaki wharf and to government boat shed; damaged foreshore, sea- wall, and telephone system on Rarotonga. 1930 24 December. Minor. 1935 7-11 February. Most disastrous in living memory. Twin hur- ricanes, one behind the other, with Rarotonga and Palmerston taking the full brunt. On Rarotonga, 4,000 tonnes of rocks and debris subsequently shifted from roads and private prop- erty. Very few people injured but many minor injuries. On Palmerston everyone fled their homes to hastily built shelters in the lee of a hill, with memories of the 1926 hurricane sweeping the sea completely over the atoll. Practically all plant life was destroyed. Islanders were running short of food and water when relief arrived on 8 March. Northern group not affected. 1941 13 January. Northern Cooks. Minor. 1-4 March. Southern Cooks. Moderate to severe. 25-27 November. Southern Cooks. Minor. 1942 19-23 February. Northern and southern groups, minor. , severe. 23 1943 9-11 March. Southern Cooks. Severe. Exceptionally heavy damage inflicted on Rarotonga and the southern islands. Mitiaro required food relief. On Rarotonga damage to administration buildings, roads, and wharves less than in 1935. Food available, but building materials required. For the first time, growers expected compensation from the New Zealand government. 25 December. Moderate. 1944 30-31 January. Southern Cooks. Moderate to severe. 1946 13-14 January. Southern Cooks. Moderate. 1955 2-3 January. Southern Cooks. Minor. 1956 1 January. Southern Cooks. Minor. 1959 13 February. Southern Cooks. Minor 1962 14-15 February. Southern Cooks. Moderate. 1963 8-14 March. Southern Cooks. Moderate to severe. 1966 28-29 January. Southern Cooks. Minor. Most severe hurricane to affect Samoa and Islands. Largely bypassed Cook Islands but still caused damage. 1967 16-18 December. Northern and southern groups. Very severe beating, wiping out the newly constructed wharf at and the airport, leaving the runway intact. European-style houses unroofed and some collapsed. Damage to administra buildings, roads, electricity, and telephone in the southern group. 1970 17-23 February. Southern Cooks. 28 February-2 March. Northern Cooks. 1972 22-28 March. Northern and Southern Cooks. 1973 14-18 January. Southern Cooks. 31 January-1 February. Southern Cooks. 1974 25-28 April. Southern Cooks. 1976 10-12 December. Southern Cooks. 1977 20-21 February. Southern Cooks. 1978 15-27 February. Southern and Northern Cooks. 1981 20-24 February. Southern Cooks. 10-13 March. Northern and Southern Cooks. 20-23 March. Southern Cooks. 1982 10-15 December. Cyclone Northern and Southern Cooks. Followed by extended drought throughout the islands. Water flown to Penrhyn. Led to development of improved reticulation on Rarotonga and a program of water tank construction for individual homes throughout the islands. 1983 26-28 February. Northern Cooks. 29 March-3 April. Northern Cooks. 1985 26-28 January. Southern Cooks. 1986 5-14 February. Severe. 26 December-3 January. Northern and Southern Cooks. Moderate to severe.

24 1987 5-21 January. Southern Cooks. Minor. 1-7 March. Southern Cooks. Minor. *July. Northern Cooks. Cyclone Sally strikes Pukapuka with major damage. 1988 28 February-3 March. Southern Cooks. Minor. 1989 23-28 February. Southern Cooks, especially Mangaia. Minor. 1997 *July. Northern Cooks. Two small tsunami waves come inland on eastern shoreline of Pukapuka. *1 November. Northern Cooks. Cyclone Martin strikes Pukapuka, Nassau, Manihiki, and Rakahanga with major damage in Manihiki.

25 Appendix 2. Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale

Scale Number (Category) 1 2 3 4 5

Central Pressure: millibars >980 979-965 964-945 944-920 <919 (inches of >28.94 28.91-28.50 28.47-27.91 27.88-27.17 <27.16 mercury)

Winds: mph 74-95 96-110 111-130 31-155 >155 kph 119-153 154-177 179-209 211-249 >249 (meters/sec) 32-42 42-49 50-57 58-68 >69

Surge: feet 4-5 6-8 9-12 13-18 >18 meters 1.2-1.5 1.8-2.4 2.7-3.7 4.0-5.5 >5.5

Damage: Minimal Moderate Extensive Extreme Catastrophic

Source: Developed by H. Saffir and R.H. Simpson

26 Appendix 3. A Note on Mapping Pukapuka The preparation of layout plans for the Pukapukan islands of Wale and Motu Ko form the basis around which the recovery and rehabilitation work will be undertaken. These plans take into account the day-to-day needs of the community as well as the various cyclone hazards and risks to the community. Hazard zones and safe locations were identified in consulta- tion with the Island Council, government representative, local community representatives, and Ministry for Outer Island Development (MOID).

As no appropriate and up-to-date map was found, mapping proceeded from several published resources which are listed in the references. An H.O. Department of Lands and Survey map from 1975 (using 1974 data) was used as the base. Topography was approximated by referring to the Keio University archaeological study which detailed selected areas of Wale in plan and cross section. These details indicated that taro patches tended to be at or up to two meters below sea level, and that the many cemeteries were found at elevations in excess of three meters. Housing and public facilities are located at levels of two to three meters above sea level. These maps also gave a shoreline profile that was a useful starting point in approximating the perimeter condition of the atoll. Borofsky provided a useful detailed map of a portion of Roto and Yato villages, an area of particular complexity of structures, roads, cemeteries, and taro patches. The information from these sources was traced and drawn over the base map in order to produce a draft of the topography and infrastructure of Wale Island. Once this was com- pleted, a series of field checks, both visual and by local inquiry, was made to confirm political boundaries, topographic features, infrastructure, and public landmarks, and hazard-affected, prone, and resilient areas. The fol- lowing maps were produced — some for the first time, some as updates — for the principal island and for Motu Ko, the island containing reserve land and the airport. Motu Kotawa, the other reserve island, has no permanent settlements.

• Topography and risk assessment on Wale • Topography and risk assessment on Motu Ko • Topography and risk assessment on Motu Kotawa • Town plan with principal features, political divisions, and reserves • Cyclone management recommendations

27 Appendix 4. Pukapuka Recovery Program and Updates as of July 1998

The implementation programs are based on the ONU Group engineer’s assessments and in con- sultation with the Island Council, the government representative, the MOID chief executive officer, and other infrastructure service providers.

Recovery Plans Implementation Pukapuka Implementation Programs Recovery Plan Strategy Cleanup Planning Waste disposal PMT, Village Village cleaning Organization Resource MOID, Council capability Comm. consult. Mobilization Resource MOID, Council capability Comm. consult. Implementation Program schedule MT, MOID, and cost Island Council Physical Roads, airport Road and airport PMT surveys Infrastructure repair survey Water supply Water supply PMT, MOID, repair/restoration Island Council Harbor and port Jetty repair work PMT, MOID servicing Storage shed repair Electricity and Not funded under Telecom services this program Marine cleanup Not applicable Productive Agriculture Supply of equip. MOID, Island Sector regeneration and seedlings Council, MinAgri Small business Not funded under this program Fishing industry Not applicable Public service Employment from MOID, Island these programs Council Social Health clinic Doctor’s office PMT restoration Welfare restoration Inflowing supplies Emergency supplies MOID, Island and relief Council Environmental Hazard reduction PMT, MOID, control planning Island Council Education, Temp. Cyclone PMT, MOID, school buildings Center, toilets Island Council Social Emergency relief MOID, Island development support, education Council and programs Comm. reps.

28 Cleanup July updates: • Villagers continue to remove fallen trees and debris on Wale, Motu Ko and Motu Kotawa islands. • Village cleaning is nearly completed. • Debris is being removed to agricultural sites to be used for soil development.

Physical infrastructure July updates: • The road survey was conducted as part of this report. • The airport survey was conducted by ONU Group on July 3, 1998. • Water supply repair and restoration: Materials have been ordered and shipped in anticipation of the replacement of retaining rods, exterior concrete encasement, and interior cleaning and resurfacing of selected village water tanks. • Jetty repair work: Area is operational but lacks a plan for development. • Storage shed repair: Structure and roof are sound; requires wall enclosure. As there is extensive roof surface and there is local need, this structure would serve well as an additional rainwater source for that portion of Yato Village.

Productive sector July updates: • Taro roots are needed to complete agricultural regeneration, especially on Motu Ko. • The taro patches on Wale and on Motu Ko are being replanted with available roots and appear to be recovering. • Arrowroot, banana, and lemon trees have been supplied, and are about to be planted.

Social welfare July updates: • The doctor’s residence remains unrepaired, although roofing materials have been ordered and restoration planned by MOID officials in anticipation of the arrival of a new doctor for the island. • The government residence has been returned to a functional state and is used as island guest quarters, government representative communications center, and meetings of the Island Council. • Debris from the collapsed wall of the residence section of the Catholic Hall has been cleared as have the interior contents in anticipation of reconstruction of the enclosure. A funding source for this work was not identified. • A cyclone management shelter is being developed at the school in the northwest part of Wale. A new toilet and shower structure is under construction, and the school water tanks are being strengthened as part of this effort. • Three permanent locations are being considered for cyclone management centers: at Pukapuka School, at Marae Mataala to accompany an agricultural development center, and in the Government Reserve to accompany improvements to the hospital and public works area. The latter two sites are highly accessible locations, are near communication centers, and are the common destinations for people seeking shelter from cyclones. 29