Ravaged by winds and seas

Niue

By Stafford Guest

NATURE’S bulldozer the in famous Cyclone Ofa un leashed its fury on Niue Island after sweeping through Western Samoa, American Samoa and the northern Ton ga Islands. Howling winds peaking at 90 knots swirling about 60 kms from the eye of the hurricane lashed Niue on Saturday February 3 and Sunday Febru ary 4. But the horror and devastation was caused by gigantic Pacific rollers.

Niue’s narrow reef and 30-metre high coastal cliffs offered little protection against mountainous seas sweeping in from the north, flinging thousands of tonnes of water as high as 75 metres into the air.

Elderly Niueans who have spent most of their lives on the island effec tionately known as the Rock say na ture unleashed a fury never seen before.

Most of the major damage estimated at US$2.5 million was sustained by homes and buildings on the western side of the island. Hardest hit was a two-kilometre stretch of coastline in the main village of Alofi.

Niue’s Lord Liverpool Hospital looks as if it was hit by an Exocet missile giant boulders of old coral smashed wards, offices, the kitchen and morgue.

Patients were evacuated in rain and high winds- to the safety of private homes while those not in need of constant medical care were quickly discharged.

Guests at the Niue Hotel fled for their lives as tonnes of sea water crashed down on the accommodation block and rocks plummeted into huge glass win dows surrounding the bar, reception area and dining room. The hotel appears to be beyond repair as does the hospital. Government officials are con sidering whether to relocate the two faci lities on higher ground.

Along Niue’s Golden Mile where ex patriate government officers and school teachers are housed, homes and flats on the seaward side of the main road were smashed by the headlong rush of angry seas which uprooted coconut and bread fruit trees and heaved boulders from the bowels of these to 100 metres inland.

Two politicians suffered the full blast of Ofa, Cabinet Minister Robert Rex Jr, son of Premier Sir Robert Rex both of whom were in New Zealand when the cyclone arrived lost his clifftop home when two rogue waves sucked the build ing into the sea within minutes. Today a concrete floor slab is the only remains of a family home. Niue’s Speaker of the

Assembly, Sam Tagelagi, whose home commands a view of Alofi Bay also suf fered heartbreak. Vicious winds tore at the roof of his Diamond Head property and destroyed much of the building and

personal belongings.

At the Niue Public Works Depot at Amanau, derelict excavation machinery and vehicles buried deep in cliffside chasms and caves were hurled back onto surrounding property. Workshops, offices and stores were awash with sea

water. Niue’s wharf also took a battering but new concrete extensions carried out last year under an Australian aid prog ramme probably saved it. The road ramp was swept away damaging fuel lines and cutting access to vital petrol and diesel storage tanks.

Sea tracks to scenic spots around the western coastline and two village boat ramps built with United States and New Zealand aid were pounded to pieces and a church in the north-western village of Hikutavake was almost demolished by the raging seas. Samoa Air’s two Twin Otters one on its way from Vavau in Tonga to Pagopago in American Samoa, the other on a scheduled flight to Niue sought shelter from the mounting storm at Hanan International Airport. Both

planes suffered damage but were quickly

repaired before being ferried back to their Pagopago base.

Government employees worked round-the-clock in atrocious conditions evacuating those in danger and attemp ting to maintain power, water and tele communication systems.

When the storm cleared, the reality of devastation was evident in a concen trated area of several square kilometres in Alofi. An RNZAF Hercules flew in emergency supplies and personnel to assess the damage. Latest figures indicate Cyclone Ofa cost the people the Niue about US$2.5 million.

For Niue’s Premier Sir Robert Rex it was a time of frustration and concern.

He was in New Zealand attending Waitangi Day celebrations when disaster struck. The 81-year-old veteran politi cian flew to Niue with the Duke of Edin burgh and New Zealand’s Foreign Minis ter Mike Moore to inspect the damage and be briefed on clean-up operations.

Now the islanders face the daunting

task of replanting bushgardens wiped

out by salt spray and wind. Although traders maintain sufficient stocks of food most Niueans rely on bushgardens for taro, cassava and vegetables.

Niue has a population of 2000 and major reconstruction work will place pressure on its workforce. A national disaster committee has been set up to list priorities for repairs and redevelopment.

A massive injection of aid will be re quired to restore health services and re locate the hotel.

Sir Robert is keen to see the imple mentation of an action plan to rebuild damaged property. His government faces a general election at the end of March ... to many 81-year-olds a daunt ing task in the wake of such an economic setback.

When asked in New Zealand if he was prepared to stand again in view of the problems which lie ahead Sir Robert re plied: “I’ll have to stand again now, de spite pressure from my family to stand down. It would be like a captain desert

ing a sinking ship.” □

Destruction: strong waves peeled away the tarseal of this road near Apia in Western Samoa.