Food rations

Food rations were recently distributed to affected communities.

One local told the Daily Post the rice grains had turned brown and had a bad odour.

He said he would be feeding the rice to his chickens.

The Area Administrator for the local council, Philip Dick, told the Post a number of other communities on the island have reported spoiled rice and they will be providing replacements.

He said the dry rations were affected during shipment and during offloading.

The distribution was conducted by the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FASC) as part of the recovery project from the devastation sustained from TC Judy and TC Kevin.

The distribution is targeted to provide for 7,850 households in Port Vila.

FASC also confirmed that distribution of emergency relief supplies is to be made to 1,072 households on Efate offshore islands, which started last week.

A total of 21,533 households on Efate will be receiving dry rations.

They also commended the MALAMPA Provincial Council, Malampa Emergency Operation Centre (E0C), the technical advisory group members and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) such as Vanuatu Skills Partnership for delivering the supplies despite adverse weather and transport issues.

A total of 2, 633 bags of rice (18kg), 5, 531 cartons of 1.5litres of drinking water and 94, 837 canned food were distributed to affected communities in north-west Malekula including some villages in the north eastern part.