Eugene couple worry of tsunami fallout.Byline: Greg Bolt The Register-Guard A Eugene couple who spent two years in the Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, independent Commonwealth nation (2005 est. pop. 538,000), c.15,500 sq mi (40,150 sq km), SW Pacific, E of New Guinea. The islands that constitute the nation of the Solomon Islands—Guadalcanal, Malaita, New Georgia, the Santa Cruz Islands, as Peace Corps volunteers said small earthquakes and even tsunamis are part of life in the region but fear that the devastation of Sunday's wave far exceeds what islanders Islanders may refer to:
Derek and Jennifer Snelling Snelling can refer to: People
Derek Snelling said most islanders live close to beaches, in part because inland terrain is rugged and mountainous moun·tain·ous adj. 1. Having many mountains. 2. Resembling a mountain in size; huge: mountainous waves. mountainous Adjective 1. , and in part because food, transportation and other needs are closely tied to the sea. "We were aware of the threat while we were there," said Snelling, now a local attorney. "We heard the waves lapping right by our house. It was one of the things to look out for." The couple were assigned as·sign tr.v. as·signed, as·sign·ing, as·signs 1. To set apart for a particular purpose; designate: assigned a day for the inspection. 2. to Santa Isabel Island Santa Isabel Island is the longest in the Solomon Islands, South Pacific, and the largest in Isabel Province. Choiseul lies to the west, Malaita to the east. The Pacific Ocean lies to the north, and the Slot to the south. from 1995 to 1997. Their post was some 200 miles east of Gizo, which experienced a much smaller tsunami while the couple were on Isabel and where Sunday's earthquake-spawned wave caused widespread damage. Isabel was not seriously affected by the smaller tsunami that hit Gizo during the Snellings' assignment in the Solomons. But even that modest wave caused significant damage to the small town's central market and business area, Derek Snelling said. It still was not clear Monday whether any parts of Santa Isabel Island were affected, but the island's main village is on the eastern shore opposite the direction of the tsunami. Snelling said they now hear only occasionally from islanders they befriended on their mission, and then only by traditional letters that can take months to arrive. The village where they stayed had no electricity, much less computers or the Internet. The couple have heard from fellow volunteers who served with them, and all are concerned about the reports of severe damage. The nation still is recovering from political and economic upheavals that began in the late 1990s, which caused the Peace Corps to leave the area. "Having this happen on top of that is going to be difficult for the country," Snelling said. Snelling said Gizo was trying to establish itself as a draw for tourists, and was increasingly popular among scuba divers Several; any number more than two; different. Divers is a collective term used to group a number of unspecified people, objects, or acts. It is used frequently to describe property, as in divers parcels of land. . The area is known for its numerous World War II wrecks Wrecks is a one-man play by Neil LaBute, that was first staged in Cork, Ireland. It made its American debut at the Public Theater (in an extended run) in New York City in 2006. Both productions starred Ed Harris and were directed by LaBute. and tropical coral reefs coral reefs, limestone formations produced by living organisms, found in shallow, tropical marine waters. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate (limestone). and lagoons. The islands had few roads or other infrastructure and most homes, at least on the less developed islands, were made from materials harvested or salvaged from the jungle, he said. People in many areas largely subsisted on fish and fruits and vegetables that they could grow themselves in their small gardens. That dependence on both the sea and the shore most likely will make recovery difficult, he said. "Everything is very centered on the ocean," Snelling said. "Everyone was pretty happy to live near the beach. They're really vulnerable." |
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