Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ _______________________________________________ > January 20, 2004 > Back In Action: Niue public communications are now back on > line. Following the devastation of Cyclone Heta which > struck the island on January 5 around noon public > telephone, fax, internet and e mail services were out of > action due to the damage caused to the Telecom satellite > dish. In a nutshell here's the latest on the worst > hurricane in living memory to strike the tiny community of > Niue. > > Backing A New Beginning: New Zealand's Foreign Minister > Phil Goff made a fleeting four-hour visit to the island > this week. Later he, along with Aid Minister Marian Hobbs, > sought approval of aid allocation from their Wellington > Cabinet. "The emergency relief phase following Cyclone Heta > is now nearly over and we need to think about how we can > help set Niue back on its feet in the longer term," the > Ministers said. " Five million dollars will come from the > New Zealand Agency for > International Development (NZAID). Its exact use will > depend on a needs assessment currently being carried out by > the Niue Government, but the key goal will be the > restoration of public institutions. "We hope the > announcement of such a substantial initial contribution to > reconstruction will send a strong signal of support to > Niue, and to other donors. "Around $1 million of the total > will be used to help re-start Niue's private sector, which > was shattered by the cyclone. With no cyclone cover > available, some businesses have lost virtually everything. > Many are unable raise loans to rebuild their businesses > because they now have no income. "The funding will provide > a lifeline for many businesses, as well as offering the > overall private sector with a vote of confidence, but it > will be dependent on a transparent and equitable means of > distribution being found that is acceptable to New > Zealand," the Ministers said. The latest assistance comes > on top of around $800,000 already allocated by NZAID to > emergency assistance in the days immediately following the > cyclone. New Zealand has been closely involved in recent > reconstruction work, including restoration of water, power > and international telecommunications services, civil > defence recovery planning and the cleanup of asbestos > building materials scattered in the high winds. An RNZAF > Hercules flight to carry further rebuilding supplies to the > island is scheduled for this Thursday. Other donors, > including Australia and France, have also played a > significant role. Its been estimated Niue's rebuilding > programme will cost around $NZ35million over a five year > period.Cash strapped Niue with a population of 1300 will be > dependent on New Zealand assistance, Australian Aid and EU > capital. > > Re-Location: The fury of the South Pacific Ocean is > unlikely to cause more major chaos to the western side of > Niue. The Niue government has decided to re-locate Alofi > South homes, businesses, the hospital and the Hotel Niue to > the upper plateau around Fonuakula. Alofi South from the > main road intersection to the airport looks like a bomb > site with rubble and debris spread over the area formerly > known as the Golden Mile, now re-named the Desert Road. > Also under consideration for re-location is the village of > Makefu where at least seven homes were devastated or > demolished, the village church - recently re-roofed - was > obliterated. > > Re-housing: The French Polynesia Government is providing 20 > pre-cut homes for Niueans who lost their homes in Cyclone > Heta. A team of construction workers is due on island next > week to commence re-building. Priority being given to those > who lost their houses and families accommodated in > government units. The Niue government is reported to have > devised a rent to own scheme for the homeless. > > Material Needs: Building materials and petrol is being > shipped to Niue. The bulk fuel depot was badly damaged by > the cyclone and petrol has been rationed. Roofing iron, > nails and timber, plumbing and electrical gear is also in > demand as property owners work around the clock to get > their businesses up and running. The Chamber of Commerce > are discussing private sector assistance. > > Kiwi Cop Invited: A former chief of police on Niue Alastair > (Roly) Williams a senior police officer in Wellington is on > Niue assisting local police to investigate claims of > looting during the cyclone. Several residents have publicly > voiced their anger at people "in high jobs" looting grocery > stores and businesses battered by the cyclone. There have > also been allegations of relief allocations being unfairly > distributed. > > Damage Report: For those familiar with Alofi South - the > area south of Halamahaga School - residences including > Gabes Food Bar disappeared in a wall of water and rocks, > Niue Adventures shop is a heap of rubble along with Alofi > Rentals office and yard. [ Alofi Rentals was one of the > first businesses to commence construction on new offices > days after Heta hit]. Family homes on both sides of the > main road to the intersection at Tapeu Hill, including > Central Services Petrol Station were smashed to pieces, > boken walls exposing refrigerators and stock on shelving. > The national museum has been demolished relics of the past > lost under tonnes of debris or swept out to sea , the > island's cultural centre unrecognisable. The Justice > Department and Court house were wrecked along with the > adjacent Niue Dive office and residence. The Lord Liverpool > Hospital which recently underwent a $2m refurbishment is a > write off - massive waves bashing huge rocks through the > operating theatre, wards and offices. The former Matron's > residence was swept off its foundations. Government flats > on both sides of the road were demolished their tenants > running from a deadly wall of water and seeking safety in > the bush areas at the back of the properties. The Hotel > Niue recently re-opened after a group of local shareholders > took a lease on the government owned 32 room property was > doomed early in the raging cyclone. Further along the road > at Amanau the Niue Joinery was swept into the side of an > adjacent grocery shop wrecking it, a panel-beating shop on > the public works site disappeared and parts of the roof on > the main public works workshop were blown southwards. The > Waimanu Guesthouse was structurally damaged as were homes, > the former K Mart shop, Claytons Night Club and the Niue > Island United Enterprises service station. The Government > quarry crushing equipment was toppled and is out of action. > Most tourist properties also took a bad hit but the > flagship Matavai Resort survived almost unscathed. Pelenis > Guesthouse, Kololi's Guesthouse were undamaged, Sails > Restaurant was badly damaged by mountainous waves and rocks > and although the Coral Gardens five motel units survived > the onslaught the interiors suffered major water damage. > Anaiki Motel escaped major damage to the units while > Namukulu Motel experienced major damage to two of its three > cottages and the swimming pool. At Alofi North homes on the > seaward side of the road are now unsafe several were > demolished by the sea and 300 kmph winds. The commercial > centre was safe, several offices at the rear of the Westpac > Bank lost their roof , the contents of the buildings spread > across the centre of the village. They included Okakoa > Communications and Jacksons Printing Office home of the > community newspaper the Niue Star. Niue's bulk fuel > department was counting its losses at the wharf-side fuel > depot. One large holding tank was compressed by the seas > and skewed five metres off its foundations. The damage has > created a major shortage of petrol. > > Venue Withdrawn: Niue has announced it will not host the > 2004 Pacific Forum summit in August. Damage to properties > around the island caused by Cyclone Heta forced the island > government to announce it could no longer proceed with > plans to host the summit which is now likely to be held in > Samoa. Niue hopes to host the summit in 2005 or 2006. > > Essential Services: Niue's hospital services have been set > up in the Youth Centre at Fonuakula. Australian military > medical officers are assisting. Schools are due to re-open > next week. The Niue Primary and High Schools sustained > little damage and are fully staffed. Most village water > reticulation services are back in action and electricity > and phone services restored. Refuse collections have been > maintained and government offices have been re-opened. The > Justice Department has moved to a vacant government > purchased house at Fonuakula. The Fale Fono Parliament > building sustained water damage but no major structural > damage. > > Asbestos Clean Up: Occupational health specialists from New > Zealand have been training Niuean workers to collect and > store asbestos sheeting blown from roofs on houses around > the island. New Zealand was contemplating a massive > asbestos clean up project before cyclone Heta struck. About > $10million is likely to be allocated for the removal of > asbestos and replacement corrugated iron roofing.
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