Vanuatu a month later: Aftershocks, restricted area, and anxiety

“Stay strong and carry on Vanuatu,” says a local business sign in Port Vila. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Moses Cocoa

Friday marks one month since a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, killing 14 people, injuring more than 200 and displacing thousands more.

Port Vila city center remains a no-go zone; The Star Wharf International Port remains out of service, and water supplies have not been reconnected to parts of the city and some surrounding villages.

The Recovery Operations Center estimates there are about 6,000 workers from 200 businesses operating in the CBD who have been affected.

All the while, loud rumbling tremors continue to shake the city; Modern, its strength reached more than 5 on the Richter scale.

Lynasi Tarisio lives outside Villa but came to vote on Thursday. She said that the children in her home still feel terrified when an earthquake occurs, even if it is small.

“They are still afraid. Even last night when it happened, we all ran outside,” she said.

“It's hard for us to stay at home.”

The sole mental health specialist at Villa Central Hospital, Dr Jimmy Obed, said the ongoing seismic activity was leaving many people shocked.

Dr Obed said that as things slowly return to a semblance of normalcy, more people are reaching out for mental health support.

“What we try to tell them is that it is normal to feel this anxiety,” he said.

“Then we give them some skills. How to calm themselves down… when they're panicking or stressed or having trouble sleeping.

“Simple skills they can use — and even how kids can calm down and regulate their emotions.”

Photo: Facebook/Michael Thompson

Meanwhile, following Thursday's snap elections, preliminary counting continues and ballot boxes are being transported to the capital for the official count.

Trinold Tare, an aviation worker who spoke to RNZ Pacific after casting his vote, said he hoped they could elect leaders who had good ideas for Vanuatu's future.

“Not only the vision to run the government and the nation but also people who have leadership qualities and are transparent. People who can work with communities and not only think about themselves,” he said.

Many voters in the capital said they want leaders who will move quickly to rebuild the quake-stricken city.

Others said they were tired of political instability.

This week's early elections were sparked by the premature dissolution of Parliament last year. It is the second time in a row that President Nike Vuruparavo has acted on a Cabinet request to dissolve the House in the face of a leadership challenge.

Counting this week's elections, Vanuatu will have had five prime ministers in the past four years.

Seaside Tongoa community president Paul Fred Tarrillo said they discussed the matter as a group and made their feelings clear to their election candidate.

“We have asked our candidate to tell the heads of all the political parties to which they belong – that if they end up in government and at some point find that they do not have the numbers and a motion is made against you, please be honest and set a good example – ask one of the “Groups step down and allow another government to come in.”

Regardless of the election fever, thousands of people in Port Vila are still in desperate need of assistance.

The president of the Vanuatu Red Cross Society looks forward to starting the distribution of financial relief aid to families affected by the December earthquake.

The embassy building of New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom and France in Vanuatu was severely damaged in the earthquake. Photo: Dan McGarry

The association's secretary-general, Dickinson Tefi, said some villages are still without water and many people are unemployed.

“We realized there were still some requests coming in from communities. People who were not evaluated during the emergency,” Dickinson Tevye said.

“So, we made plans to do a more detailed assessment afterwards to make sure we don't leave anyone out.”

With schools resuming soon, parents and families who have lost their main source of income are under great pressure, Mr Tevye said.

In a statement, Polly Banks, Save the Children's Vanuatu director, said disasters often have the power to suddenly turn children's lives upside down, especially if they lose loved ones, have their education interrupted, or are forced to flee their homes.

“In the aftermath of any disaster, it is important for recovering children to be able to return to their normal routines as soon as possible,” she said.

“For most children, this includes returning to school, where they can reconnect with friends and share their experiences.”

She said at least 12,500 children in the country may have to start the new school year in temporary education centres, as at least 100 classrooms across the country were damaged or destroyed.

Vanuatu returns to work on Friday after a public holiday declared yesterday to allow people to go and vote.

Unofficial election results continue to emerge, with local media reporting an even distribution of seats across the country for the Leaders' Party, the Vanuaaku Party, the Reunification Movement for Change, and the Iwoko Group.

But it is still early days, as the official results will not appear until after a period of time.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos