ABC Radio Online - Pacific Beat Updated May 6, 2010 08:45:12

Marshall Islanders have been using the moon and the stars to navigate their canoes for thousands of years and the practice is far from dying out.



In fact, one man has been helping to run a program to pass on the skills to younger generations.



Alson Kelen, has just…

RABI COUNCIL OF LEADERS

BANABA…

Dr Paulo (Bauro) Vanualailai reported today from Suva, that Fiji President - Ratu Epeli Nailatikau will be visiting Rabi either Wednesday or Thursday in the aftermath of Cyclone Tomas. The Chairman advised that they had also received 34 sets of clothing from the Catholic Archdiocese in Suva as part of an Australia Catholic aid package to assist Fiji. He also advised that that the RCL would purchase…

Biara Touakin reporting direct from Rabi, Fiji

Kam na mauri ara koraki,

Bon te kamauri mai Rambi imwiin te ang are e ururu iaon abara aio.

I taku ba kama bon tia n nori tamnei man ongo rongorongo ibukin abara aio mwiin ana ururu te ang TC Tomas n te Moanibong ao te Kauabong 15th ao 16th n te namakaina aei.

E bon rangin korakora aron ana ururu nakon taian auti ao riki nakon taian kaina-n-amarake n aron te nii, te mai, te tabioka ao a maiti riki. Ikai naba…

Our chairman Paulo Vanulailai has told me that the first DISMAC team just make a quick visit to only 2 villages and Paulo has called them back yesterday to do an IMPORTANT full assessment of the island. He is awaiting their report which is essential to try and get the proper outside aid Rabi needs. They have already set up their only Rabi DIMAC that will make a COMPLETE report that is expected back within 24hours. As soon as Ken can get his satellite phone link go on Rabi.…

Article published the Friday 19 March 2010 - Latest update : Friday 19 March 2010

New Zealand air force air craft distribute aid

Reuters

Friday, March 19, 2010

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Children of Wainigadru, in Tawake, Cakaudrove stand outside what's left of their house

THE eastern part of Vanua Levu is by far the worst hit by Hurricane Tomas.

A flight over the…

Hoping to find out more information today with Red Cross Taveuni. Will post more details as they come in.

Next major step is to try and charter a boat across to Rabi and work out what it will cost us so Ken can make sure he has money put aside for this. Can anyone help!! We have heard the AirPacific Taveuni office usually arrange boat (fishing trip) charters and have arranged other boats to get to Rabi in the past.

Can someone in Suva try and make a booking and come back…

Source: Fiji Red Cross Society Date: 18 Mar 2010

Red Cross has today relocated all our Northern Divisions Relief Operations to Labasa to strengthen our response and relief efforts for communities and areas affected in the Division.

Centralised in Labasa, and in close collaboration with our Emergency Response Teams,…

I just spoke with Notue, my younger daughter who is with DISMAC and she did mentioned DISMAC did mentioned they flew over Rambi Island yesterday and reproted nothing urgent, from the air, therefore there was nothing much to report from Rambi. I still feel there is more to go and see regarding the needs of our Banaban people right now…

Villagers on the cyclone-battered Fijian island of Koro had their chainsaws, shovels and assorted tools out today clearing roads, rebuilding homes and dealing with damage from winds which gusted to 240kmh.

Koro, to the northeast of the main island of Viti Levu, was badly damaged by Cyclone Tomas in the last two days, with many homes among the island's 14 villages badly damaged or destroyed.

Fijians hunkered down during cyclone…

Updated March 17, 2010 17:26:28

In Fiji disaster management teams are on their way to the northern and eastern islands, as Cyclone Tomas moves out of the area. It's suspected the Lau group of islands is worst hit, but the massive category four storm has…

Hi we have just done a major upgrade on our old banaban.com website to intergrate all our new Banaban sites together and more importantly cross-link information and historical data etc. If you find errors or missing links please forward the problem through to stacey@banaban.com so I can fix it. The old Banaban site has been going since 1993 so it is a very large site so with loads of historical and archived information. We now have included fundraising…