Situation report issued by NDMO Vanuatu This report covers the period from 21 March 2015
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Government-led Initial Rapid Assessments (IRA) carried out from 17 to 20 March are now completed. IRA confirmed that the impact on the agricultural sector is severe with livelihoods compromised and the majority of the country’s population affected. Government-led food assistance program is underway targeting 33,365 households. On 21 March, boats departed for Mataso, Buninga, Makira, Emae and Tongoa with 20 tonnes of immediate food relief (two weeks’ rations of food). Measles campaign led by Ministry Of Health (MOH) with support from UNICEF and WHO is currently underway. To date, 4,668 children have been vaccinated.
Situation Overview
Humanitarian partners are working closely together under Government leadership via the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) to enact the Government’s response plan to Tropical Cyclone Pam. The plan builds on the assistance provided to communities affected by the cyclone since 14 March. The NDMO has engaged air and sea assets to deliver life-saving relief items to some of the hardest hit islands, based on Government-led initial joint rapid assessments conducted from 17 to 20 March. Priority areas are health, food and agriculture, shelter and water and sanitation. On 21 March, two helicopters (one jointly funded by DFAT and DFID and privately chartered by the Government from Vanuatu Helicopters) travelled to six islands in the Shepherd Islands group in SHEFA Province. The islands were Mataso, Buninga, Makira, Emae, Tongariki and Tongoa. The helicopters transported representatives from NDMO and SHEFA Provincial Government along with medical teams ready to undertake rapid response and medivacs if necessary. The NDMO and SHEFA Provincial Government representatives will link up with area council and community disaster council structures to prepare for the distribution of food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. On 21 March, the MV Serafenua will depart Port Vila for Mataso, Buninga, Makira, Emae and Tongoa with 20 tonnes of immediate food relief (two weeks’ worth of food) as well as supplies to meet shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene needs. To facilitate smooth distribution of the relief goods, a team comprising members of Vanuatu Mobile Force, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and NGO personnel will be on-board. Another boat, a super yacht called Dragon Fly, was engaged by the NDMO to service Tongariki. It left Port Vila on 21 March with five tonnes of food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies.
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Dragon Fly will be based within the Shepherd Islands group and is tasked with supporting all six of the islands with its on-board water processing unit, which generates 10,000 litres of clean drinking water a day. It also has a medical team on board. It will coordinate with the NDMO and SHEFA Province staff on the ground. The NDMO engaged MV Urata to travel to the Outer Islands of SHEFA Province, north of Efate – Nguna, Pele, Emau, Moso and Lelepa. It is carrying 20 tonnes of food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. On 21 March, a 20-tonne shipment of food was en route to Tanna. A water purification plant was also delivered (over three flights) to complement the generators that arrived on 20 March. The water purification plant produces 20,000 litres of clean water a day. Australian Foreign Minister Bishop and Prime Joe Natuman will conduct a press conference at National Disaster Management Office on 22 March.
On 15 March, the Australian Government’s Foreign Minister announced an initial package of support to Vanuatu in response to a request from the Government of Vanuatu. The package of assistance from Australia includes AUD 5 million to assist the efforts of Australian non-government organizations, the Red Cross and United Nations partners (including the World Food Programme for urgent food assistance and UNICEF). It also includes the deployment of Australian Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) personnel, an Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT); and an Australian disaster expert to the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team. For more information please visit: http://www.humanitarianresponse.info/operations/vanuatu 1.0 Evacuation centre coordination and management
Needs The number of evacuation centres open and population remaining in them continues to be dynamic with several evacuation centres closing as people start to rebuild. As at 16:00 on 21 March 36 evacuation centres remained open, housing 3,852 people. Analysis of gathered data is ongoing. It is estimated that by 27 March around 80 per cent of all evacuation centres will be closed if aid, especially emergency shelter and food, is distributed in communities of origin. There has been no protection concerns reported by evacuation centre management agencies or through the Displacement Tracking Matrix. Response IOM recommends that based on findings, in addition to emergency shelter kits, kitchen sets are a priority non-food item (NFI) for those returning home. IOM has rolled out the Displacement Tracking Matrix in 19 centres and by end of 21 March IOM plans to have covered 25 centres. An exit strategy was prepared and agreed by the Evacuation Centre Cluster – the recommend plan is for community-based aid distribution (i.e. covering communities of origin, not just those in evacuation centres) leading to organized voluntary return. 47.1 metric tonnes of food have been distributed in evacuation centres since 14 March. Gaps & Constraints There is pressure to prioritise closure of evacuation centres, many of which are in schools, due to scheduled resumption of classes on 23 March. The number of people without shelter who are staying with families and communities is not known, but likely much higher than those in evacuation centres. There are some tensions from surrounding host communities due to the perception that aid is being prioritised to people in evacuation centres while those in communities are being neglected.
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2.0 Food Security and Agriculture
Needs Food has been identified as a priority need in all affected provinces. The total number of the affected population of 166,000 people is estimated to be in need of food assistance for the next three months. The impact on the agricultural sector is severe with livelihoods compromised and the majority of the country’s population affected. Response Initial food packages (lasting for 15 days) will include five kilograms of rice, one can of meat, one additional can of fish for people in the hardest hit areas and two packets of noodles. Shipments to priority islands are commencing on 21–22 March for distributions in the days thereafter. The initial packages of food, as well as seeds to enable people to replant crops, are being shipped on 21 March to Tongoa, Tongariki, Mataso, Makira, Emae and Buninga (to 809 households). Six Agricultural Officers will accompany these shipments to provide planting advice and to perform detailed crop and livestock impact assessments. Organizations have continued importing tools to address shortfalls in locally available stocks. Rapid animal needs assessment have commenced, starting with priority areas in SHEFA Province. Agencies are identifying farmers that can supply breeding stock (small livestock), especially chickens, and assessing fisheries damage. Gaps Information on the situation of impact on fishery and locally available fishing gears on the islands is lacking. Availability of crops planting material is not yet clear. Sourcing “feed for livestock” without impacting human food security is a challenge. 3.0 Protection and Gender
Needs Women and children are in need of psychosocial support because of experiencing the cyclone and its aftermath, while Vanuatu has only an extremely limited number of qualified social workers (concentrated at the Vanuatu Women’s Centre in Port Vila). The Vanuatu Women’s Centre advised that women experiencing violence felt a reluctance to report incidents, despite their need to access support services. While several evacuation centres now benefit from having child-friendly spaces, a need has been identified to extend similar support to communities outside of evacuation centres as well. Response Psychosocial support counsellors arriving to work with Save the Children will coordinate activities with the Vanuatu Women’s Centre. Vanuatu Disability is checking up regularly on its clients (in excess of 300 people) and is conducting outreach to evacuation centres in Efate in order to identify persons with a disability. The surge of specialist gender and protection personnel to support the cluster and its members continues. Members of the Gender and Protection Cluster will be monitoring relief distributions in the Shepherd Islands and Tanna in coming days. Presence at the distributions will provide an opportunity to identify protection issues, which have so far not been routinely captured in assessments Gaps & Constraints Outreach to women for provision of psychosocial support and to facilitate access to services following incidents of violence.
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4.0 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Needs In the process of a consolidated situational analysis report developed by NDMO with support from OCHA following Government-led initial joint rapid assessments, water, sanitation and hygiene needs emerged as priorities. After an emergency, without clean drinking water and access to good sanitation people are at risk of diarrhoea outbreaks and other water-borne diseases. Response In TAFEA Province, World Vision International, Red Cross and ADRA are working with the TAFEA Provincial Disaster Committee to assess and repair the Isangel Hospital water supply. Red Cross is providing water treatment for 30,000 litres per day (4,000 people) and the Australian Defence Force is providing water treatment for 200,000 litres per day (260 people). The French Military is providing water trucking in Isangel. Red Cross provided 100 households with hygiene kits in Isangel in conjunction with the TAFEA Provincial Disaster Committee. In SHEFA Province ADRA distributed 130 water purification units to schools and churches in the larger villages around east, west and north Tanna. Oxfam supported the Lycee School Evacuation Centre with 50 hygiene kits. The Vanuatu Mobile Force is providing ongoing water trucking in peri-urban areas of Port Vila. Teoumaville water supply recorded presence of ecoli. Community members have been alerted to boil the drinking water. Gaps & Constraints Current stock within Vanuatu is limited. 5.0 Health and Nutrition
Needs Rates of malnutrition, which increases the risk of death when children are sick, are likely to increase. Other needs remain as stated in the previous situation report. Response An Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) is assisting the Ministry of Health with health capacity and medical evacuations. On 20 March, there were 12 evacuations to Vila Central Hospital (VCH) in Port Vila (six by boat, six by helicopter). Many people had infected wounds. Helicopter flights travelled to Shepherd Islands on 21 March. Assessments were planned in multiple islands in the north. A medivac is planned from Ambrym on 21 March and more evacuations from Tanna. A mass vaccination program for measles with Vitamin A supplementation is underway with a plan to vaccinate 10,500 children aged 6 months to five years. To date, 4,668 children have been vaccinated. Following this, the priority is to expand to Santo, Tanna and the Shepherd Islands The suspected case of measles at an evacuation centre was investigated and was clinically determined NOT to be measles. There have been several cases of chicken pox. A Public Health sub-cluster plan to distribute bed nets, initially to Shefa and Tanna, has been developed. To re-establish and strengthen capacity at the VCH laboratory test kits have been made available for dengue and malaria. Additional dengue, malaria, leptospirosis and rotavirus kits are planned to arrive in coming days. Ongoing Ministry of Health media announcements are occurring and the health cluster will explore additional options to engage the community in disease prevention through community groups, churches, Council of Chiefs etc. A psychological assessment service will be established at VCH on 23 March. Options are being explored to extend care to the outlying islands. High-energy biscuits are being transported from Dubai. Gaps & Constraints Six additional midwives and 16 additional nurses are required at VCH. Paonangisu Health Centre on North Efate requires tarpaulins to ensure facilities are watertight.
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Laboratory personnel for VCH and two pharmacists for Central Medical Stores are required. 7.0 Education
Needs A total of 34 schools are being used as evacuation centers in Efate, TORBA and PENEMA, which prevents children from going to school. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates 500 schools are affected, including Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), primary and secondary schools. Facilities and resources are damaged in the majority of schools in Efate, TAFEA, TORBA and PENEMA. Assessments confirmed that the majority of the schools in SHEFA and TAFEA Provinces are destroyed. Remaining schools are being used as an evacuation centres. In Ambrym Island in MALAMPA Province, boarding schools have been closed because of poor sanitation.
Response Two batches of Education in Emergency supplies have been sent to Vanuatu. This includes tents (temporary learning spaces), school in a box, ECD kits, recreation kits, students backpacks. In view of the scale and the magnitude of the impacts Tropical Cyclone Pam on the schools revealed as assessment results begin to trickle in, additional Education in Emergency supplies from UNICEF and Save the Children will be follow to provide safe temporary learning spaces and resources to enable affected schools to be functional. The Education Cluster is targeting 57,000 affected school-age children. However, numbers will be confirmed once assessments are complete. A joint asset assessment is planned (DFAT, the New Zealand and Fiji Defence Force engineers, together with Vanuatu local Public Works Engineers). This assessment will determine the extent of damage in government facilities including ECD, primary and secondary centres. They will also check on the availability of human resources (teachers and others to support education). This rapid assessment will be shared shortly with the cluster and NDMO. This data will inform and define the specifics regarding the “3 Ws” (Who does What Where). Reports were given on the first round of rapid assessment and visits to Tanna (TAFEA), Pentecost (PANEMA) and Tongoa (SHEFA). These reports indicate that most schools have had different degrees of damage. A more detailed assessment will be carried out after the initial rapid assessment is completed. New directives are expected soon from the Ministry regarding use of schools as Evacuation Centres to ensure sensitivity to communities and also ensure that children can get back to safe schools as soon as possible. The Education Cluster has formed a “working group” that will be meeting daily and they will report to whole group and NDMO. This smaller group comprising UNICEF and SCF with the Ministry as the lead. UNICEF met with National ECCE Coordinator to make critical decision regarding the upcoming workshop on the development of psychosocial materials for children and caregivers. This workshop will be a joint initiative of the Ministries of Education and Justice and UNICEF’s Education and Child Protection sectors. The proposed dates are 30 March 3 April with additional TOT training 13-15 April. Education and WASH cluster to work in collaboration in the provision of safe learning environment in schools. 8.0 Logistics
Response A 200 metric tonne boat arranged by the Government of Vanuatu is being loaded and will depart on 21 March. It is also anticipated that a 40-MT boat will travel to the Outer Islands of Efate.
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6 mobile storage units are arriving this evening. These will be established as storage hubs by WFP in cooperation with UNICEF at Port Villa Airport and Tanna. This will be used as a common storage for the government and humanitarian agencies. Agencies are asked to send pipeline and distribution information to [email protected]. All offers of assistance are to be sent to [email protected] for assessment by the Emergency Operations Centre logistics team.
Gaps There is a need to augment storage in Port Vila and in Tanna, particularly as the amount of relief items to arrive is likely to increase. 9.0 Infrastructure
Needs Specific needs will be known once a national Rapid Response assessment of infrastructure by the Multi Sector Working Group is completed. It is assessing immediate needs (emergency repairs) and recovery needs (rehabilitation). Health infrastructure, education infrastructure and roads, bridges, drainage will be assessed.
Response Port Vila roads accessible - PWD SHEFA Division with private sector contractors have undertaken roads clearance and debris removal (50%) of Port Vila and surrounding peri-urban settlements. A Monitoring & Reporting Spread Sheet by priority for each Province and constituent islands for infrastructure damage, repair and rehabilitation with details of dates, personnel, mobilisation and travel plans, resourcing needs and early costs. Urban Search & Rescue team deployed to assist Vila Central Hospital and Vila Central (School) followed by two teams undertaking assessments of health and education facilities around Efate. In addition, an appraisal of Maternal Child & Welfare Unit, UNICEF Stores and NCD Unit – made safe. Assessed damage at Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and Ministry of Trade. A full report will be ready by COB Saturday 21 March. Initial assessments from ADF for some schools and hospitals on Tanna being prepared. Available by COB today. Tanna arterial (core) accessible flowing work from PWD Tafea, IBCs and CCECC with ADF group commencing further road clearance. A Logistics Plan for the Infrastructure Working Group has been prepared/approved by the Working Group. This Logistics Planning Tool is to be updated and provided to NDMO daily. Contact Charles Andrews - [email protected] – for soft copies. Established Infrastructure Working Group e-mail cluster for dissemination of information. Minutes of Working Group meetings sent daily to NDMO.
Gaps & Constraints Lack of transport to sites to undertake the Rapid Assessment is area needing stronger liaison between the central Disaster Response organisation and the Infrastructure Working Group - resulting in charters departing without engineer representation or Rapid Assessment Tools to assess infrastructure needs. Issue of communication between Infrastructure Working Group and island communities impairs response Structural Engineering expertise and Quantity Surveying capacity/support identified as an urgent need Coordination with French authorities yet to be established with representation at Infrastructure Working Group meetings Quality of completed Rapid Assessment forms highly variable in quality and usefulness
To be added to the Situation Report distribution list please subscribe at http://eepurl.com/bhm_Nr For more information please visit: http://www.humanitarianresponse.info/operations/vanuatu Please send pipeline and distribution information to [email protected] Please send all offers of assistance to [email protected]