Save the Children Continues Responding to the Deadly Tsunami in the Solomon Islands An aerial view of damage after a tsunami and an earthquake hit the Solomon Islands, April 3, 2007. (Copyright: Reuters / Reuters TV, courtesy www.alertnet.org)  An earthquake measuring 8.1 struck the northwest of Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands at 7:40 am local time on April 2, 2007. The earthquake created a tsunami causing significant damage in the Solomon Islands. Save the Children quickly moved in and responded to the needs of children and their families. Key results include: Supplying potable water to 14 locations on Gizo Island including the hospital.  Over 10,000 litres have been distributed providing safe drinking water to 1,500 children and their families; Distributing 10 portable water filtration systems to 7 locations and training volunteers to operate and maintain them. The filtration units are supplying potable water to 2,250 children and their families; Establishing nine safe spaces in camps around Gizo and Simbo. These safe areas are providing an estimated 400 children with structured activities in a safe environment; and Training 16 staff, 64 volunteers and 4 government staff in managing PSAs and working directly children. The Save the Children team will continue to assess the status of families and work to ensure that children are protected as the region recovers from the tsunami. Save the Children has been working in the Solomon Islands for more than 20 years and reports that its 45 staff members there are safe. The Solomon Islands are located on the seismically volatile “Pacific Ring of Fire,” where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent. It is the same region that experienced the deadly South Asia tsunami in 2004.   Direct From the Field – Josh Madfis, Emergency Education Specialist Reports Safe Spaces are one of Save the Children's key programmatic interventions to protect children during the acute response phase of an emergency or in areas of continuing crisis.  Josh Madfis, Save the Children’s Emergency Education Specialist, recently visited the Solomon Islands to establish these safe spaces and train community members in working directly with children.  Read more about his visit.  You can help Save the Children respond to emergencies that put at great risk the survival, protection, and well-being of significant numbers of children. By contributing to the Children's Emergency Fund, you enable us to respond immediately to children and families who urgently need our help when disasters strike.