IMODE News

A tsunami warning has been issued in the Pacific after a powerful earthquake struck 35km below sea level between Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.

The epicentre of the seven point eight magnitude quake was 295 kilometres from Luganville in Vanuatu, and 260 kilometres south of the Santa Cruz islands in Solomon Islands.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says a tsunami warning is in effect for Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Kiribati, Kosrae, Wallis-Futuna, and Howland Baker island.
A tsunami watch is in effect for Marshall Islands, Tokelau, New Zealand, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Australia, Niue, Cook Islands, Chuuk, Kermadec Island, Pohnpei, Indonesia, Wake Island, Jarvis Island, Palmyra Island, Guam, Northern Marianas, Johnston Island, Yap, Marcus Island, and Palau. ( rnz 7/10)

Philippines Quake
A powerful earthquake has hit in the Celebes Sea area between the southern Philippines and Indonesia, but no tsunami warning has been issued.

The US Geological Survey says the six point seven magnitude quake occurred at a depth of almost 600 kilometres, more than 280 kilometres south of the Sulu archipelago.

[ABC] Mark Willacy,Tokyo/AFP

Typhoon Melor has made landfall in Japan and is heading for the main island of Honshu.
A powerful typhoon has made landfall in central Japan, damaging houses, paralysing transport and injuring at least 14 people.

The meteorological agency says Typhoon Melor came ashore in Aichi prefecture shortly after 5am, local time.

It’s the first typhoon to make landfall in Japan since 2007.

It’s moving on course to batter the main island of Honshu, bringing heavy rain and winds gusting at up to 198 kilometres (123 miles) per hour.

Houses have been damaged, trees toppled, and roads blocked in Aichi.

The Public broadcaster NHK says more than 9,000 people have been evacuated to shelters, after efforts were made to strengthen homes and equip coastal areas with storm surge barriers.

Japanese airlines plan to ground 290 flights across the nation, while railway services have been suspended, mainly in central Japan.

More than 10,000 households have lost electricity on islands in Japan’s far south, according to local power companies.

Melor is the latest in a series of powerful typhoons to batter Asia in recent weeks.

In August, Typhoon Etau brought flash floods and landslides that killed at least 25 people in Japan, even though it avoided a direct hit.

Another powerful storm, Ketsana, has caused devastation across Southeast Asia, killing hundreds of people, mostly in the Philippines and Vietnam. In Taiwan more than 600 people died after Typhoon Morakot struck in August. (ABC)

NEWS SOURCE: VOICE OF MELANESIA

Nukualofa 7 October 2009 – Two senior officials of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are on a mission to Tonga this week, in the follow up to the tsunami disaster.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Knut Ostby, is in Nukualofa with the New York-based UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR), Jordan Ryan.

UNDP released $USD50,000 to support emergency activities in response to the tsunami in Tonga. Mr. Ryan also announced to the Prime Minister that an additional amount of $USD250,000 is available upon the joint determination of the Government of Tonga and UNDP of its best use with respect to early recovery for the communities affected.

Mr Ryan who is representing the UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, arrived in Tonga yesterday where he met Government officials as well as the representative of the Red Cross and donors. Today Mr Ryan met with the Prime Minister of Tonga, Right Honourable Dr. Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele. In the meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Ryan expressed the condolences of UNDP to the Tongan citizens affected by the tsunami.

“UNDP is ready to support the Government of Tonga, in partnership with the UN family and donors, to assist the people of Niuatoputapu to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible. UNDP is also keen to support national efforts to reduce the risk of future disasters,” Mr Ryan said.

In addition to disaster recovery, UNDP’s programme in Tonga focuses on poverty reduction and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, support to Parliament and environment and sustainable management projects.

Background: On the morning of 29 September, a powerful earthquake struck south of the main Samoan Island chain with its epicentre 190 km south of the Samoan capital of Apia. Niuatoputapu in Tonga is seriously affected by the quake-triggered tsunami waves that also hit American Samoa and Samoa last week.

*UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.