While businesses are open again in the centre of Honiara, Solomon Islands, after last week’s devastating floods, transport appears to be the main problem facing business owners.

Flooding in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Credit: David Anderson (Country Manager, Solomon Islands for BSP)

Honiara’s main river, the Matanikau, burst its banks in the storm, sweeping away houses and bridges, and flooding the downtown area, leaving at least 21 dead, 30 unaccounted for and 15,000 in shelters.

The chairman of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Council, Melchoir Matak, says Honiara needs reconstruction, not rehabilitation.

‘I’ve visited Solomon Islands perhaps 30 times since 1980, but never have I seen the capital Honiara in such a mess,’ reported veteran ABC correspondent, Sean Dorney.

Essential infrastructure

Honiara’s Henderson International Airport reopened on Sunday, after two houses which were swept onto the runway were removed. But one bridge is out of action and the other has limited capacity, according to Nancy Kwalea, Senior Executive Officer with the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Temporary repairs to the bridge are underway, but loads are limited to eight tonnes per vehicle, shipping containers cannot use the bridge during daylight, and emergency bulk deliveries may be allowed through in the evening, she said.

Businesses re-open

Businesses in Honiara’s central business district re-opened on Monday.

Roads near the city centre are full of potholes and are cracked, Kwalea said.

‘A journey that would normally take five minutes can take two-three hours,’ she added.

Honiara’s Mataniko River burst its banks. Courtesy: Facebook: Forum Solomon Islands International.

Port authorities have allocated vacant land for shippers to empty full containers with urgently-needed materials. The Chamber has also asked the port authority and shipping agencies for some leniency on demurrage costs to keep non-essential goods off the roads.

People have been warned to boil water, for fear of an outbreak of diseases, as emergency staff work to repair broken pipes and sewage systems.

Banking and communications

Bemobile Solomon Islands has offered free SMS within Solomon Islands and also free SMS from PNG to Solomon Islands during this period, according to Sundar Ramamurthy, Bemobile’s Chief Executive Officer.

A spokeswoman for the country’s largest bank, Bank of South Pacific, said its buildings and services were normal.

‘Telecommunications were unaffected, but some staff had lost houses, and others suffered water and mud damage.’

Gold Ridge stops

Operations at St Barbara’s Gold Ridge mine, the country’s only operational gold mine, were temporarily suspended, following flooding at the mine site.

‘The safety of the Gold Ridge workforce, the majority of whom are Solomon Islanders, is our highest priority and accordingly the decision to evacuate all personnel from site was taken,’ said Managing Director and CEO Tim Lehany in a statement.

Lehany also said that the company was ‘in continuing discussions with the Solomon Islands Government regarding the future of the mine’ and expected to make a statement later this month on its future.

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