DRR Debrief

“PLATO” was actually the real TC NAMU from May 1986

• Namu was a very slow moving cyclone (6-8 knots) but not extremely intense

• Heavy rain was more of a problem than wind

First 3 days after landfall

• 15,000 reported homeless• 50 missing, 5 confirmed dead• Central Hospital in Honiara evacuated• Henderson Airfield closed to civilian aircraft• Major disruption to phone, radio and post• Relief from Australian and New Zealand in the

first few days

First 5 days after landfall

• Frequent relief supplies from Australia and New Zealand flown in

• 90,000 now reported homeless, 50 dead• 2,000 homes destroyed on Guadalcanal• Food supplies seriously depleted• Villages cut off by mudslides• Australian navy vessels assisting

First 5 days continued

• International appeal launched

• 3 principal access bridges on Guadalcanal destroyed

• Water supplies contaminated• Major export industries such as Copra, Palm

Oil and Timber and food crops reported to be “devastated”

Beyond the first few days…

• Death toll over 100• Stocks of local fish and rice requisitioned by

government for distribution• Concerns about spread of malaria, diarrhoea,

respiratory diseases• Concerns about feeding the population in the

long-term