Source: United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA)

Date: 05 Jan 1993

05JAN93-6982 LMURPHY tuvalu.cyclone.jan93 (1)
UNDRO 93/0007

TUVALU - CYCLONE 'NINA'
DHA-UNDRO SITUATION REPORT NO.1
5 JANUARY 1993

SITUATION

1. ON 3 JANUARY 1993, TROPICAL CYCLONE 'NINA' SEVERELY AFFECTED TUVALU (TOTAL POPULATION APPROX. 8,500). STRONG WINDS OF UP TO 70 KNOT S WERE REPORTED THROUGHOUT THE TUVALU GROUP. HIGH SEAS FROM THE WESTERN SIDE ALSO CAUSED FLOODING OF THE MAIN VILLAGES
OF FIVE OF THE OUTER ISLANDS: NANUMEA, NANUMAGA, NIUTAO, NUI AND VAITUPU.

2. REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MORNING OF 4 JANUARY INDICATE THAT UP TO 30 FAMILY HOUSES HAVE BEEN BLOWN DOWN OR WASHED AWAY BY BIG WAVES. A LARGE NUMBER OF FAMILIES HAVE BEEN LEFT HOMELESS. NO CASUALTIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

3. THE SUPPLY OF FOODSTUFF AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MATERIALS LIKE FLOUR, SUGAR, RICE, KEROSENE, BATTERIES, PETROL IN THE SHOPS ON THE BADLY AFFECTED ISLANDS IS EXPECTED TO LAST FOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS. AT PRESENT, GOVERNMENT VESSEL UNABLE TO MOBILIZE SUPPLIES TO THE OUTER ISLANDS BECAUSE OF STRONG WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS.

APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

4. THE GOVERNMENT OF TUVALU IS APPEALING TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL RELIEF SUPPLIES TO THE PEOPLE OF THE OUTER ISLANDS. CASH CONTRIBUTIONS ARE NEEDED TO PURCHASE THE REQUIRED ITEMS EITHER LOCALLY OR IN
THE REGION.

5. UNDP/DHA-UNDRO RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND DHA-UNDRO/SOUTH PACIFIC PROGRAMME OFFICE (SPPO) IN SUVA, FIJI, IN CONTACT WITH NATIONAL AUTHORITIES TO MONITOR SITUATION AND REVERT WITH UPDATED INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE AND EMERGENCY NEEDS AS SOON
AS AVAILABLE.

6. CASH CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE CHANNELLED THROUGH DHA-UNDRO, SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH 1211 GENEVA 10, ACCOUNT NO. CO-590.160.1, WITH MENTION TUVALU - CYCLONE NINA.

7. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, PLEASE INFORM DHA-UNDRO IMMEDIATELY AS INDICATED BELOW OF PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS.