Remote islands receive a boost in their ability to respond to disasters through IOM.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recently provided two much-needed container storage units to Kayangel and Angaur States in Palau. These units will serve as decentralized warehouses, allowing the islands to stockpile essential emergency supplies closer to home.
Located 83 km and 61 km away from the capital city of Koror respectively, Kayangel and Angaur, like many other outlying islands in the Pacific, face challenges in receiving timely assistance during disasters. Factors like typhoons, king tides, and droughts can disrupt air and sea travel, hindering the delivery of critical supplies.
The new storage units, with a capacity of 28,200 kg each, will help address this challenge. They will be stocked with essential items like water, sanitation kits, emergency shelter supplies, and other necessities. This will allow for a faster and more efficient response to disasters in Kayangel and Angaur.
Waymine Towai, Executive Director of NEMO welcomed this development noting that “since 2022, our collaboration with partners, including IOM, has focused on strengthening first responder agencies’ capabilities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Strengthening warehousing capacity in the more remote outlying states is a pivotal step towards minimizing loss.”
This initiative is part of a larger collaboration between IOM and Palau’s National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) that began in 2022. Their focus is on strengthening the preparedness of outlying communities in menghadapi (facing) disasters.
Yohan Senarath, IOM Micronesia Head of Sub Office, thanked NEMO for their continued partnership and highlighted that the container units are part of IOM’s commitment to enhance Palau’s preparedness. “In keeping with the UN’s 2030 Agenda to ‘leave no one behind,’ ensuring the inclusion of marginalized communities is paramount,” he said.
The deployment of these units is a significant step forward in ensuring the safety and well-being of residents in Kayangel and Angaur. A third unit is planned for Peleliu State, further demonstrating the commitment to including all outlying communities in Palau’s disaster preparedness efforts.