VOICE Cyclone hits Solomon islands
(2 Jan 2003) VOICED BY LOUISE BATES POOL Tikopia island, Solomon Islands 0000 Various aerial shots of islands POOL Honiara, Solomon Islands 0026 Two shots Solomon islanders looking at computer images 0034 SOUNDBITE (English) Loti Yates, Director of Natural Disaster Management Organisations of the Solomon Islands: 0100 Briefing room, pan to man with map on desk POOL Brisbane, Australia 0107 Solomon Islands Member of Parliament Alfred Sasako walking then sitting to work on computer 0113 Close up computer screen showing map of Solomon Islands 0115 SOUNDBITE (English) Alfred Sasako, Solomon Islands Member of Parliament: POOL Honiara, Solomon Islands 0137 Two shots Honiara island Vision Ends 0148 STORYLINE An Australian air force C-130 Hercules with officials from the government's aid agency has flown over the remote Temotu province of the Solomon Islands to survey the damage from Cyclone Zoe, which hit on Sunday. Residents of the two affected islands appeared to have begun rebuilding their homes and resuming business activities, Australian aid officials said on Thursday. But relief boats have yet to reach the islands which lie two thousand and 250 kilometres (14-hundred miles) northeast of Sydney, Australia. SUGGESTED VOICE-OVER: 0002 Packing winds of up to two hundred and twenty five miles per hour, the cyclone hit the tiny islands with devastating force. 0010 But until these pictures emerged from the stricken region, it was impossible to assess the full extent of the damage. 0116 Australian airforce planes flying low over the islands have sent back images showing damage to crops and houses. 0022 Over three thousand people are thought to inhabit these remote islands in the Pacific. 0026 So far, though, there's been no evidence of any injuries and - remarkably - many traditional homes are still standing. 0034 SOUNDBITE (English) Loti Yates, Director of Natural Disaster Management Organisations of the Solomon Islands: "The indication that we see on the vegetation especially, there was a lot of damage to the coconut trees and there were trees which have been uprooted, but the very impressing thing about it is that most of the traditional houses were left intact." 0101 But the situation on the islands - and the long term effects of the cyclone- are still far from clear. 0107 Officials in Australia have warned that a storm of this magnitude would have had a huge impact on the lives of the islanders. 0115 SOUNDBITE (English) Loti Yates, Director of Natural Disaster Management Organisations of the Solomon Islands: "Any water tanks or whatever that they have for drinking would have been destroyed. And so at the moment, as I alluded to earlier, I'm assuming a lot of things, but based on the cyclone itself, I think it has caused a devastating effect on the lives of people there." 0137 Relief boats have left Honiara, the capital of the Solomons, for the thirty six-hour trip to the islands. 0142 Australia and New Zealand have also pledged support. Ends 0148 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
