SOLOMON Islanders will be feeling the worst brunt of the current El Niño period this month (December) and through to early next year. The long drought has affected the country following three months without rain from August. Despite some drizzles of hope in the capital Honiara in early November, the relief was short-lived. Solomon Islands Meteorological Services (SIMS) warned the weather was drier than normal rainfall across the country from August to October.
The current El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) will reach its peak this month (December) and slightly decrease from January 2016 on-wards, it said. Following SIMS weather outlook report, the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office issued two Situational Reports (SITREP) last month with plans of intervention in expectation for the worst. Director of NDMO Loti Yates said key government sector agencies on Agriculture, Health, Education and technical agencies like Meteorology and Hydrology together with the disaster management stakeholders have already convened series of meetings to consider the most appropriate response.
“The regional precipitation outlook for the Solomon Islands from November to January is below normal, this means that less rainfall will be experienced in this period,” Yates said.
