Transcript
MANUEL URE: On the western part of the island we have got heavy ash fall and also the place has started to get dry, including most of the southern and northern parts of Ambae.
DON WISEMAN: And how thick is the ash? What's it like in the food gardens?
MU: Most of the food crops have been almost covered with ashes, but not all. Recent rainfall group has washed away most of the ashes and it looks quite good at the moment but we hope that in a few days and few weeks we will experience more rain that will help us with our food crops.
DW: The food that looks OK, is it good enough to eat?
MU: Not all food is good to eat. Like we depend mainly oin taro but currently we cannot manage to eat taro because the ashfall has already destroyed food crops like taro.
DW: What are doing instead? What are you relying on?
MU: At the moment we continue to rely on the government food supplies - that's including rice and tinned fish and some noodles. At the moment we rely mainly on the government's food suppliies.
DW: Was there any damage to people's houses?
MU: We only received about two or three [reports of] damages concerning the houses - the traditionally thatched houses.
DW: The animals that people had on the island - I think they were let out of their pens and whatever before the evacuation. Have they been rounded up? Are they back where they should be?
MU: At the moment we are experiencing lots of stray animals moving into food gardens and they have destroyed [some] food gardens, animals like pigs and cattle, they really destroyed food gardens.
DW: There is still a level 3 alert on the island. What impact does that have for you?
MU: We continue to experience ashfall, a very, very small amount has continued to fall on most parts of the island and also we continue to experience the government support coming in in terms of food, water and shelter. But when we move out from level 3 then the government support will be reduced further down and people from the island will find their own ways to look after themselves.
DW: You say you are getting water provided for you by the National Disaster Management Office. Is that enough? Local water I guess is all contaminated?
MU: Yes, most of the open water sources like open well and water tanks and most of the water sources have been contaminated. At the moment we are depending on the government supplies for drinking water. The far south of the island they are also running out of water and we at the moment are mobilising ourselves to transport most of the water from the provincial headquarters down to people from the south. So most parts of the island, the western, southern, northern parts are desperate for clean water at the moment.
DW: Are people now already preparing their new gardens?
MU: Most people are preparing their new gardens and agriculture and food security provided new seeds and cuttings to be transported to the farms so that they can plant in their new farms.
DW: You must be pleased to be back?
MU: Yes I am really pleased to be back and also to observe that most of the people are coming back to their homes. It is really encouraging to see then returning back, really safely to their homes.
DW: And they are happy?
MU: Yes most of them are happy about their return home.
