Cyclone Raquel public to maintain safe hygiene practices, including hand washing and boiling water before drinking it. As a result of the torrential rain, flash flooding was reported on several of the islands, which resulted in widespread damage in Malaita, Western, Choiseul and Isabel provinces. In particular thousands of food gardens were extensively damaged or destroyed, including 40 thousand in Malaita Province alone. One person was killed after being hit by a falling tree while 16 others were missing at sea. The Gold Ridge Mine on the island of Guadalcanal was declared a disaster zone by the Solomon Islands Government during July
South Malaita Island clans and tribes, which are governed within traditionally demarcated regions known as iolas, which are led by a high chief ALAHAOUOU. The Island is refer to as IOLA RAHA, which consist of 8 Iola, namely Hoasitaimwane, Kolutalau, Ououmatawa, Ueniusu, Uenisu Unu, Roasi, Iolairamo and Hailadami. The language spoken by the people of Small Malaita is the Sa'a dialect. The language, however, has variations in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary from iola to iola. The people practised patrilineal descent, with men having the most say over ownership rights and recognised as head of families, clans and tribes. Women played a much lesser