Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says the government is shifting its focus to recovery and damage assessments after Tropical Cyclone Wati moved away from the country, with Aitutaki bearing the full force of the storm.
Brown said clean-up operations had begun and support was being organised for affected communities, including those on the northern islands.
“My thoughts are with everyone now cleaning up their homes, properties and villages,” Brown said in a statement.
He thanked Emergency Management Cook Islands, the Cook Islands Meteorological Service and Infrastructure Cook Islands for their preparedness and response, along with island administrations, Emergency Operations Centres, police, village councils, volunteers, churches and families.
“Your preparation made the difference,” he said.
Brown said Aitutaki experienced the full force of the cyclone, while Rarotonga and other islands in the Southern Group also felt its effects.
He said the government would work with island leaders and communities to assess the damage and identify the assistance needed for recovery.
“Our focus now is recovery. Damage assessments are under way, the clean-up has begun, and support is being organised where it is needed, including for our northern islands,” Brown said.
The Prime Minister also warned that Cyclone Wati had arrived before the official start of the Cook Islands cyclone season, highlighting concerns about changing weather patterns.
“This cyclone arrived before our cyclone season has officially begun. It is another sign that our climate is changing, and that the weather patterns our people have long relied on are becoming harder to predict,” he said.
Brown said the country could not control changes affecting its oceans and weather but could strengthen its preparedness for future emergencies.
“We cannot control the changes coming to our ocean and skies, but we can control how ready we are, and this weekend our people showed what that readiness looks like,” he said.
He called on communities to maintain the same spirit of cooperation during the recovery phase, saying work must continue until all affected islands had recovered.
Brown urged residents to continue following updates and safety advice from Emergency Management Cook Islands and the Cook Islands Meteorological Service.
