When a deadly tsunami swept through the western
region of the Solomon Islands on Sunday, April 1, causing widespread damage
throughout the many coastal areas, the Adventist Development and Relief
Agency (ADRA) responded immediately, providing urgently needed supplies to
families as they begin rebuilding their lives.

A state of emergency was declared the following day after an underwater
earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale triggered the 33-foot tsunami.
An estimated 5,500 people are currently displaced.
Almost half of the 100,000 people living in the Western and Choiseul
provinces are thought to have been affected by the tsunami.

ADRA is coordinating its assessment and response with the local government,
UN agencies, and other international nongovernmental organizations, which
are providing essential health care, equipment, supplies, and resources.
Other needs include mosquito nets, tents, storage tanks and containers for
potable water, cooking utensils, gardening and fishing tools, and
construction materials. These non-food items will help survivors
re-establish their livelihoods.

Based on ADRA's assessment, it is distributing emergency supplies to an
estimated 168 families, or approximately 1,000 people, in the coastal areas
of the Choiseul, Ranongga, and Vella La Vella islands. Each emergency kit
contains construction tools, nails, plates, cutlery, and a set of cooking
pots, according to minimum international standards. Because of the tsunami's
impact on agricultural production and people's household gardens, ADRA is
also supplying basic tools needed to harvest the root crops commonly grown
on the islands.

While meeting the immediate needs of the survivors, ADRA is also assessing
the long-term needs of the community to determine the scope necessary for a
rehabilitation project that can address the water and sanitation
requirements of the targeted communities. ADRA has appealed to private
donors for help with immediate needs as well as long-term needs.

Teams of local volunteers are assisting in the initial emergency
distribution to each particular island and are traveling to assist targeted
families by canoe and boat, with some journeys taking up to two hours. ADRA
is working directly with the local population to distribute, monitor, and
manage the intervention.

"Trips between islands represent a common and ordinary way of life for local
staff and volunteers, who are more than willing to assist in the
distribution. ADRA boats will possess appropriate safety equipment including
life jackets, EPURB locators [electronic positioning beacons], and a GPS
with nautical maps," says Chris Jensen, international programs manager for
ADRA Australia.

Priority selection is determined based on need, focusing primarily on
families who have lost the most basic tools to rebuild their homes and the
ability to provide for their family's basic cooking and hygiene
requirements.

The project is co-funded by ADRA Australia, ADRA New Zealand, and ADRA
International.

ADRA is appealing for help for the tsunami-damaged Solomon Islands. To
donate, call 1.800.424.2372 or online at www.adra.org.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and
emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, gender, or ethnicity.