A response assessment team is expected to leave Honiara for Taro today to carry out initial assessment at Ogho, a landslide affected village in Choiseul province and earthquake affected villages in Shortland islands.

The seven-man team consisting of Western and Choiseul Provincial Disaster Officers (PDO), a RWASH officer, a MET officer, a MID officer and two police officers will carry out a 10 day assessment in the disaster affected areas.

The team will then travel by boat from Taro to Shortlands and will cover six big earthquake affected villages namely: Maleai, Nuhu, Aleanga, Gaomai, Harapa and Komaliae villages.

They will carry out Initial Assessment, analyse data and information, compile sectoral reports and submit Reports for relief arrangements.

In a memo cited, the objective of the mission is to conduct initial assessment for reported affected communities, to compile and analyse collected data, to submit damage report to the National Disaster Council (NDC) through the Western Province Disaster Committee (PDC) and to prepare relief team and resources for deployment when consignment in Taro.

The team consists of Silas Arukwai, PDO for Choiseul province, Danny Ruel – PDO for Western Province, Conwal Tanakesa – RWASH Officer, Mark Leong – MID Officer, Robert Huakare – Met Officer and two police officers, Freddy Fakakesa and Thomas Perang.