Transcript
MATTHEW MATOKO:There was a downpour yesterday and most of the ash has been washed down from buildings and trees and whatever structure are exposed to this ash. But not all of it. Some of this ash still on some rooves and maybe trees and so on.
KOROI HAWKINS: And that washing by the rain is also in a way washing it into tanks and into water supplies and the like isnt it?
MM: Yes definitely, definitely I think that is the major worry because all the catchments were affected and the rain comes down. Guttering is not removed and all of this debris is washed into tanks and so that could be a major problem.
KH: And has the ash stopped falling?
MM: Yes on Saturday when it started falling it went on for two hours and then it stopped. In fact at the moment we are not experiencing any further downfall of ash and so on.
KH: How far are you from the Tinakula volcano?
MM: Yes it is very surprising because the Reef Islands are more than 50 kilometres away and it is very surprising how these ashes could reach us and that would mean a very big explosion perhaps to send all these particles to our area. We are about 50 plus kilometres from Tinakula.
KH: Yes that is quite a long way and so I suppose you are too faraway to hear or feel or see anything other than the ash?
MM: Yes except the night before, well Friday night in fact, people were saying that they could see fire from the direction of the volcano. And we only realised the next morning when all these ashes came down that it was erupting.
KH: Now do you need any assistance?
MM: We will need people to come and see what has happened. And I would think that water would be a major priority to assist the people here and obviously yes authorities would have to come down and make assessments of what has happened.
KH: I guess I should have asked first. Has anyone come around and spoken to you guys, or how are you getting information?
MM: Not that I know of, there were talks of someone coming down to the capital to make assessment on this but as I know nobody has come around to assess the situation here.
KH: And are people worried?
MM: Yes. Definitely people are worried especially on water and then I mean they are worried because this has never happened so they are worried what will happen next besides the water. Does it bring good things to the island? Or your know they start making speculations. Will there be things like when sulphur combines with oxygen and then you have water or will there be acid rain. All these things pondering on their minds.
