Pacific Cook Islands
EU aids Cooks to withstand stronger cyclones
12:28 pm on 21 December 2018
Two key measures have been put in place in the Cook Islands to prepare the country to withstand more intense cyclones.
Photo: 123RF
The amended Building Code and a new Strategic Roadmap for Emergency Management were both launched this week.
They have been made possible by funding from the European Union under its ACP-EU Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project.
The EU has set aside $US22.3 million for the project, region-wide.
Infrastructure Cook Islands' Louis Teiti said the potential for an increase in the intensity of cyclones in the Cook Islands prompted the need to review the building code and ensure that building infrastructure is up to standard.
Beca International has been contracted to do a comprehensive review of the code and develop a manual to improve the safety and resilience of buildings.
The Cook Islands Emergency Management Director Charles Carlson said the very high damage to housing in the Cooks during cyclones had been due to poor and sub-standard housing.
Mr. Carlson said the roadmap would ensure limited resources were used to get maximum outcome.
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