This update: 4th March, 2010
A special report by the website author who is a former BBC TV and radio journalist
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The following stories are a summary of stories from Cook Islands News, the daily newspaper of the Cook Islands which is published Monday to Saturday inclusive. Its web site www.cookislandsnews.com is updated weekly, usually on a Thursday (Cook islands time, Friday GMT. The summary is published with the permission of the copyright owners Cook Islands News Ltd. Click on any underlined headlines for the full story on the newpaper's own website
POLICE PRAISE RAPID RESPONSE TO TSUNAMI WARNING
Islanders have been praised by police for their quick response to the tsunami warning on Saturday morning. Hundreds of people were moved from their homes in the early hours after officers knocked on doors and toured the island with loudspeaker alerts. 2,000 people also received text and mobile phone messages. The Police Commissioner said the warning spread so quickly because the emergency operations centre on Rarotonga was already monitoring a possible new cyclone. In the end, there were only small surges in the island's harbour and no damage was reported anywhere.
NEW CALL TO MAKE BIKE CRASH HELMETS COMPULSORY
The chairman of the Road Safety Council is reopening the debate over compulsory crash helmets for motorbike and scooter riders after a spate of serious accidents. Colin Burn says a law is needed otherwise there'll be 10 to 12 deaths this year on the roads of Rarotonga. In the past two weeks, one rider has been killed, a young woman was injured and a boy was airlifed to New Zealand with serious head injuries following accidents with bikes.
AIR FORCE AID FLIGHT AVERTS FOOD CRISIS ON PENRHYN
An emergency New Zealand air force flight to Penrhyn has saved the northern group island from running out of food, after the regular cargo ship was unable to deliver supplies because of bad weather. Some building materials have also been offloaded to repair damage to the roofs of 31 homes which were damaged by winds from the cyclone which went on to hit Aitutaki. A second relief flight is scheduled to take more supplies.
PREGNANT WOMAN EVACUATED FROM NASSAU
A woman expecting her ninth child has been evacuated from the remote Northern group island of Nassau after complications with the pregnancy. The government has spent nearly NZ$36,000 sending a police patrol boat to the island because an air lift was considered too risky for her health. A docTor and nurse are on board the vessel which will transport the woman to Rarotonga.
WATER WORKS BRING TRAFFIC JAMS TO RARO
The re-laying of water supply pipes around the capital island of Rarotonga are expected to cause traffic problems for the next eight weeks. Almost NZ$3 million is being spent on the project which is now in its final stages.
NZ HOSPITALS DONATE LIFE SAVING HEALTH SUPPLIES
New Zealand hospitals have donated NZ$400,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment to the Islands, including life saving ventilators and anaesthetic machines. Previously Rarotonga hospital only had one ventilator. Many of the supplies will go to the outer islands, including one anaesthetic machine which is bound for the tiny Aitutaki hospital.
Islanders have been praised by police for their quick response to the tsunami warning on Saturday morning. Hundreds of people were moved from their homes in the early hours after officers knocked on doors and toured the island with loudspeaker alerts. 2,000 people also received text and mobile phone messages. The Police Commissioner said the warning spread so quickly because the emergency operations centre on Rarotonga was already monitoring a possible new cyclone. In the end, there were only small surges in the island's harbour and no damage was reported anywhere.
NEW CALL TO MAKE BIKE CRASH HELMETS COMPULSORY
The chairman of the Road Safety Council is reopening the debate over compulsory crash helmets for motorbike and scooter riders after a spate of serious accidents. Colin Burn says a law is needed otherwise there'll be 10 to 12 deaths this year on the roads of Rarotonga. In the past two weeks, one rider has been killed, a young woman was injured and a boy was airlifed to New Zealand with serious head injuries following accidents with bikes.
AIR FORCE AID FLIGHT AVERTS FOOD CRISIS ON PENRHYN
An emergency New Zealand air force flight to Penrhyn has saved the northern group island from running out of food, after the regular cargo ship was unable to deliver supplies because of bad weather. Some building materials have also been offloaded to repair damage to the roofs of 31 homes which were damaged by winds from the cyclone which went on to hit Aitutaki. A second relief flight is scheduled to take more supplies.
PREGNANT WOMAN EVACUATED FROM NASSAU
A woman expecting her ninth child has been evacuated from the remote Northern group island of Nassau after complications with the pregnancy. The government has spent nearly NZ$36,000 sending a police patrol boat to the island because an air lift was considered too risky for her health. A docTor and nurse are on board the vessel which will transport the woman to Rarotonga.
WATER WORKS BRING TRAFFIC JAMS TO RARO
The re-laying of water supply pipes around the capital island of Rarotonga are expected to cause traffic problems for the next eight weeks. Almost NZ$3 million is being spent on the project which is now in its final stages.
NZ HOSPITALS DONATE LIFE SAVING HEALTH SUPPLIES
New Zealand hospitals have donated NZ$400,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment to the Islands, including life saving ventilators and anaesthetic machines. Previously Rarotonga hospital only had one ventilator. Many of the supplies will go to the outer islands, including one anaesthetic machine which is bound for the tiny Aitutaki hospital.