2011 Tuvalu drought

Natural disaster in Tuvalu thumb|250px|right|Map of Tuvalu The 2011 Tuvalu drought was a period of severe drought afflicting Tuvalu, a South Pacific island country of approximately 10,500 people, in the latter half of 2011.Tuvalu: state of emergency declared over water shortages https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/tuvalu/8803267/Tuvalu-state-of-emergency-declared-over-water-shortages.html The Daily Telegraph 2011-10-03 2011-10-02Matthew Benns Tuvalu 'to run out of water by Tuesday' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/tuvalu/8804093/Tuvalu-to-run-out-of-water-by-Tuesday.html The Daily Telegraph 2011-10-03 2011-10-03 A state of emergency was declared on September 28, 2011;Timoci Vula Serious' on Tuvalu http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=182536 Fiji Times 2011-10-06 2011-10-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20120730133438/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=182536 2012-07-30 dead with rationing of available fresh-water.Steve Boland http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2011/2011-10-13.html https://web.archive.org/web/20111018110730/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2011/2011-10-13.html usurped October 18, 2011 Tuvalu Water Crisis: Photos from Funafuti 13 October 2011 14 Oct 2011 The La Niña event that caused the drought ended in April–May 2012.http://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/icu/island-climate-update-140-may-2012 Island Climate Update 140 - May 2012 15 May 2012 NIWA, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research of New Zealand 15 August 2012 By August 2012 the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Conditions indicated that the tropical Pacific Ocean was on the brink of an El Niño event.http://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/icu/island-climate-update-143-august-2012 Island Climate Update 143 - August 2012 3 August 2012 NIWA, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research of New Zealand 15 August 2012 Background Tuvalu experiences the effects of El Niño & La Niña that flow from changes in ocean temperatures in equatorial and central Pacific. El Niño effects increase the chances of tropical cyclones; while La Niña effects increase the chances of drought conditions in Tuvalu.http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/pi-cpp/training/nms/ENSO.ppt El Niño and La Niña Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology 9 Oct 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111214072951/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/pi-cpp/training/nms/ENSO.ppt 2011-12-14 dead Tuvalu relies primarily on rainfall for the majority of its drinking water, which is collected and stored in storage tanks.P A Kingston, 2004. Surveillance of Drinking Water Quality in the Pacific Islands: Situation Analysis And Needs Assessment, Country Reports https://web.archive.org/web/20120111155715/http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/C46440CE-2030-47F5-A1BC-14BFA54354FE/0/Tuvalu.pdf January 11, 2012 . WHO, Retrieved 25 Mar. 2010 The country normally receives between 200–400 mm (7.87–15.75 in) of rain per month during an average year. La Niña effect and drought thumb|right|250px| Tuvalu Meteorological Service, Fongafale, Funafuti atoll The country had been hit by a prolonged period of dry weather in the second half 2011, which had been attributed to the La Niña that results in the cooling of the surface temperature of the sea around Tuvalu which resulted in reduced rainfall. In October 2011, the Tuvalu Red Cross reported that the country had not received normal rainfall in six months, leading to shortages. The capital, Funafuti, and several of the outer atolls had been particularly affected by the drought. Nukulaelae and Nanumaga were the most seriously affected outer islands. The dry conditions on Nukulaelae affected the vast majority of pulaka pits - Pulaka, or swamp taro, is a staple crop for Tuvaluans. http://reliefweb.int/report/tuvalu/tuvalu%E2%80%99s-crippling-drought-offers-important-lessons-pacific Tuvalu's crippling drought offers important lessons to the Pacific Secretariat of the Pacific Community 6 October 2011 24 April 2015 On Vaitupu the drought was also severe, but not as bad as the other islands.Panapa Tufoua Ethnographic Research on Meanings and Practices of Health in Tuvalu: A Community Report Report to the Tuvaluan Ministries of Health and Education: Ph D Candidate Centre for Development Studies - "Transnational Pacific Health through the Lens of Tuberculosis" Research Group. Department of Anthropology, The University of Auckland, N.Z. 2012 http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/webdav/site/arts/shared/Departments/anthropology/documents-publications/Tufoua%20Ethnographic%20Research%20on%20Meanings%20and%20Practices%20of%20Health%20in%20Tuvalu%20final.pdf 16 March 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20131003154454/http://www.arts.auckland.ac.nz/webdav/site/arts/shared/Departments/anthropology/documents-publications/Tufoua%20Ethnographic%20Research%20on%20Meanings%20and%20Practices%20of%20Health%20in%20Tuvalu%20final.pdf 3 October 2013 Declaration of a state of emergency The government declared a state of emergency on September 28, 2011, due to severe water shortages in the capital atoll, Funafuti. The drought conditions resulted in water being rationed on the islands of Funafuti and Nukulaelae as water reserves ran low.http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=63524 Drinking water rationed in Tuvalu 4 October 2011 Radio New Zealand 14 Oct 2011http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/87840/water-rationing-continues-in-tuvalu Water rationing continues in Tuvalu 10 October 2011 Radio New Zealand 14 Oct 2011 Alistair Macrae http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3497128.html Tuvalu in a fight for its life 11 October 2011 The Drum – Australian Broadcasting Corporation 12 Oct 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111013020711/http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3497128.html 13 October 2011 dead dmy-allhttp://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=63524 Drinking water rationed in Tuvalu 4 October 2011 Radio New Zealand 14 October 2011http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/87840/water-rationing-continues-in-tuvalu Water rationing continues in Tuvalu 10 October 2011 Radio New Zealand 14 October 2011Steve Boland http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2011/2011-10-13.html https://web.archive.org/web/20111018110730/http://www.tuvaluislands.com/news/archives/2011/2011-10-13.html usurped October 18, 2011 Tuvalu Water Crisis: Photos from Funafuti 13 October 2011 14 October 2011 Households on Funafuti and Nukulaelae were restricted to two buckets of fresh water per day (40 litres).http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/rpts11/IBTV14101102.pdf Information Bulletin – Tuvalu Drought 14 October 2011 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisations 7 November 2011Toby Manhire https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/17/tuvalu-drought-climate-change Tuvalu drought could be dry run for dealing with climate change 17 October 2011 The Guardian 21 October 2011 London Households on Funafuti and Nukulaelae were rationed to two buckets of fresh-water a day (40 litres). http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/rpts11/IBTV14101102.pdf Information Bulletin - Tuvalu Drought 14 October 2011 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisations 7 Nov 2011 Toby Manhire https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/17/tuvalu-drought-climate-change Tuvalu drought could be dry run for dealing with climate change 17 October 2011 The Guardian 21 Oct 2011 A resident of Funafuti (in a household of 5 people) is quoted as saying that it is "hard, very hard" for her household to get by on the ration of two buckets of water a day. Meanwhile, other Tuvaluans were being forced to pay for imported foods as the consequence of failing crops as the result of the drought. Princess Margaret Hospital limited admissions to try and cope with the water rationing, with a fear that there may be a rise in waterborne diseases due to a lack of public bathing. The secretary general of Tuvalu Red Cross, Tataua Pefe, said that lack of rain had caused the contamination of remaining ground water supplies, "It's not safe for consumption...Some animals have died recently and we think it's because of subterranean water." Lack of rainfall had affected other countries and territories in the region, including American Samoa, Samoa, Tokelau and Tonga.Forecaster sees little relief for drought hit areas in Pacific http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=63478 Radio New Zealand International 2011-10-02 2011-10-03 International aid thumb|right|200px|A public water collection point set up on Funafuti in response to the drought, Tuvalu, 2011 (Credit: DFAT) New Zealand began airlifting supplies and fresh water to Tuvalu on Monday, October 3, 2011. The New Zealand government had received reports during the prior weekend that parts of Tuvalu had just a two-day supply of water left, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully. A New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane landed in the country carrying two desalination units and large containers of fresh water into Funafuti.Tuvalu: state of emergency declared over water shortages http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/87248/rnzaf-delivers-water-to-tuvalu Radio New Zealand 2011-10-03 2011-10-03 Australia also sent a desalination plant. Officials from various aid agencies, including the International Red Cross and the Tuvalu Red Cross, worked with the New Zealand and Tuvaluan governments to alleviate the drought and shortages.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/tuvalu/8804093/Tuvalu-to-run-out-of-water-by-Tuesday.html London The Daily Telegraph Matthew Benns Tuvalu 'to run out of water by Tuesday' 3 Oct 2011 The government of South Korea funded the shipment of 60,000 bottles of water from Fiji to Tuvalu.http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=184465 Suva The Fijian Times Ioane Burese Korea joins Tuvalu aid 29 Oct 2011 3 December 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20130515100637/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=184465 15 May 2013 dead The governments of Australia and New Zealand responded to the fresh-water crisis by supplying temporary desalination plants, http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=63673 Critical water shortage in Tuvalu eases, but more rationing needed 11 October 2011 Radio New Zealand 14 Oct 2011 APNZ, AP http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10756294 NZ helps Tuvalu with fresh water emergency 3 October 2011 New Zealand Herald 13 Oct 2011 and assisting in the repair of the existing desalination unit that was donated by Japan in 2006. Japan Provides Desalination Plant to relieve Tuvalu's water problems 2 June 2006 http://www.fj.emb-japan.go.jp/pr_Japan_Provides_Desalination_Plant_to_relieve_Tuvalus_water_problems.html Embassy of Japan in the Republic of the Fiji Islands 1 Dec 2011 In response to the 2011 drought, Japan funded the purchase of a 100 m3/d desalination plant and two portable 10 m3/d plants as part of its Pacific Environment Community (PEC) program. Japan-New Zealand Aid Cooperation in response to severe water shortage in Tuvalu 4 November 2011 http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2011/11/1104_01.html Department of Foreign Affairs of Japan 1 Dec 2011 Japanese fund three desalination plants for Tuvalu 17 Oct 2011 http://www.desalination.biz/news/news_story.asp?id=6170&title=Japanese+fund+three+desalination+plants+for+Tuvalu The International Desalination & Water Reuse Quarterly industry website 1 Dec 2011 7 May 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120507101412/http://www.desalination.biz/news/news_story.asp?id=6170&title=Japanese+fund+three+desalination+plants+for+Tuvalu dead Tuvalu had previously purchased a desalination plant from Japan during the 1999 drought.Emily McKenzie, Biman Prasad & Atu Kaloumaira The economic impact of natural disasters on development in the Pacific AusAID, USP & SOPAC May 2005 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269408914 16 March 2024 Aid programmes of the European Union in 2010 and 2011; http://www.delfji.ec.europa.eu/en/achievements/tuvalu.htm Tuvalu - 10th European Development Fund Delegation of the European Union 24 Oct 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111008065407/http://www.delfji.ec.europa.eu/en/achievements/tuvalu.htm 8 October 2011 dead http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/documents/aap/2009/af_aap_2009_tuv.pdf Tuvalu / Water, Waste and Sanitation Project (TWWSP): CRIS FED/2009/021-195, ANNEX European Union 24 Oct 2011 and Australia also provided water storage tanks to increase storage capacity in the outer islands as part of a longer term solution for the storage of available fresh water.Richard Marle, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs (Australia) http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/climate-change-poses-a-pacific-problem/ Climate change poses a Pacific problem 12 October 2011 The Punch - News Limited 12 Oct 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111013041007/http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/climate-change-poses-a-pacific-problem/ 13 October 2011 Australia has also funded the installation of water tanks on Funafuti, which project also involved improving roof and gutter systems of households to capture more fresh water.Recent achievements of the aid program in Tuvalu http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/country.cfm?CountryId=22 AusAID 12 March 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120320052433/http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/country.cfm?CountryId=22 20 March 2012 In July 2012 a United Nations Special Rapporteur called on the Tuvalu Government to develop a national water strategy to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation.http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2012/07/un-human-right-to-safe-drinking-water-mission-to-tuvalu/ Mission to Tuvalu - Press Statement United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation 19 July 2012 Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, United Nations Special Rapporteur 15 August 2012http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-20/an-tuvalu-water-and-sanitation/4143036 Tuvalu urged to develop national water strategy 19 July 2012 Australian Network News 15 August 2012 See also Climate change in Tuvalu References 30em External links Tuvalu Meteorological Service Fiji Meteorological Service South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project (SPSLCMP) Island Climate Update, (NIWA) National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research of New Zealand Category:Environment of Tuvalu Drought Category:Weather events in Tuvalu Tuvalu drought Tuvalu drought Tuvalu