Micronesia's vastness proves difficult for Maysak relief

Transcript

The International Organisation for Migration says the full extent of damage done by typhoon Maysak in Federated States of Micronesia is still not clear as assessments continue to be carried out.

Damage caused by Typhoon Maysak in Ulithi, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia Photo: Brad Holland / FSM Office of Environment and Emergency Management

The category five supertyphoon swept through Yap and Chuuk states last week, killing five people, destroying homes and crops and contaminating water supplies.

The IOM's chief of mission in FSM, Stuart Simpson, says most of the damage is on outlying islands which are very difficult to assess and ship relief supplies to.

STUART SIMPSON: Basically there has been a lot of damage to shelter, water supplies have been affected and obviously food availability has been affected. Now the government is mobilising logistics and supplies. Most of the damage was done to outlying islands in the state of Chuuk and outlying islands in the state of Yap. So basically the main island in Chuuk and the main island in Yap are being used as staging points. That is where the goods are going into and then there is secondary transportation going out to the islands. Priorities at the moment are obviously water. Not only for drinking but obviously for hygiene and food and shelter. There reports we are getting not only are the buildings damaged but also the trees and that. So that means people actually don't even have shelter from the sun. So again being the tropics we have had a lot of rain and storms but also sun as well so shelter is also very important.

JAMIE TAHANA: Stats I have heard are that 80 to 90 percent of houses have been destroyed. This must be a significant challenge especially as you say, the exposure to the elements.

SS: Well yeah as I said initially for the initial response and again the numbers are still not clear there are still assessments being done and it varies from island to island. Some islands have received a lot more damage then others so obviously the response needs to target the needs on those individual islands. But as mentioned before the initial response over the next few weeks is obviously working with the government working with the red cross to get those supplies shelter food water. IOM is also actually setting up reverse osmosis machines to provide a stable source of water on the islands that way the water can be produced there without have the need for actually shipping and that. After the initial emergency support will be reconstruction and recovery so again experts in those fields will be needed to assist those populations, work with the government in ensuring that water supplies are restored. Once you have got water supplies restored building back shelter housing, private housing but also government infrastructure. Schools hospitals, things like that, that have been affected. Here in this area when you have these storms then a lot of the water tables can be affected with saltwater and that. So obviously yes, you get, you need to have experts come in and you need to get those crops and local food production started again.

JT: So a lot of outlying islands that have been affected and we know that the Federated States of Micronesia is a huge very spread out country.

SS: Exactly

JT: Is transporting and stuff proving difficult and how is this being done?

SS: Through quite varied means. I mean the government has state owned ships and they have got patrol boats. Initially we, IOM had pre-positioned stocks here in Pohnpei. Now we loaded that onto a government patrol boat  which took that to Chuuk. We also had a warehouse of pre-positioned items in Yap which is again going on the boats from the main island of Yap out to those outlying islands. So at the moment it is mainly shipping. Now there will be international aid coming in against o Yap and Chuuk probably via air very shortly. And that will be, need to be like secondary transportation on boats out to those outlying islands.