Solomon Islands flood victims worried about lack of clean water

Transcript

Flood victims in Solomon Islands are worried about the lack of clean water in the evacuation centres that have been set up in and around the capital Honiara.

Overcrowding, food concerns and lack of bedding and clothing for women and children are also problems.

Koroi Hawkins filed this report.

ALFRED ABETA:They give us water but what is our problem is they bring it from the ground they should provide a mineral water for our children because the water make our children's diarrhoea was break out in our children and dysentery oh many children was affected.

That is Alfred Abeta, a flood victim living in the FOPA camp one of the largest in Eastern Honiara with at least 2,000 flood victims. He says the quality of food being provided is also a problem.

ALFRED ABETA:Because our children are allergic to waioka tuna that is the food they always give us noodle waioka tuna and the rice. There is no change diet for us. We tell them quite a lot of time to change the food but they not respond to us.

On the hill above Albert's camp is the Solomon Islands National University Campus with another 2000 plus flood victims. Henry Bata lives there and says conditions are inhumane.

HENRY BATA: While rain and sun comes in it hits these guys these little kids that are sleeping in the pavilion then the next day if rain comes over they have to find there shelter again move there kids back without beds and all that no beds are there they use the empty case of papers which has been supplied by the goods they tear them and they sleep there babies and there little ones upon it. and that's too bad for me I don't want to see it.

Mr Bata also says there are children running around naked because they do not have any clothes.

HENRY BATA:Day two five bales of clothes has been supplied by the Chinese Association and after sharing the clothes only one trousers for each family. That is the last one they have given us and no supplies of clothing until now there's no clothing and we don't know what sort of donation will come over with the clothing we have hinted that up to government like the NGO's but no response was made.

On the other side of town a woman victim living in the Mbokonavera School evacuation centre, Shanita Harold also says clothing is an issue.

SHANITA HAROLD:We are just living here but the correct sizes of clothing and things that we women need is the problem for us women who are displaced and no longer have houses so that is it sizes of clothes or things that we women need it is not in our size like with the children as well some kids have got clothes that fit them but others do not have anything.

Shanita Harold's evacuation centre holds more than one thousand flood victims packed into small classrooms some with as many as 46 families living in them. Hudson Kwalea who also lives in the camp, lost his son in the floods. He says he just wants authorities to help them move on with their lives.

HUDSON KWALEA:The situation, I mean for my family here I mean this place is not a really good place for us to stay in I mean it doesn't good for us because you know people we just sleep together and not really like home its just a place that we temporarily we living in not really good because we people we want to go somewhere we can settle down and plan our family affairs something like that.

50,000 people were affected by the recent flash flooding in Solomon Islands around 10,000 of these are still living in evacuation centres in and around the capital.