The psychological effect of the tsunami is forcing many of the villagers of North Vella La Vella constituency to remain on higher ground.
A joint assessment team from NDMO and the Western Province Disaster Council, led by Chris Akosawa, stated that the 12 village communities they visited are seriously thinking of moving further inland. "Other factors such as land owning units must first be sorted out" Akosawa said. "But these villagers seem determined to leave the coastal areas"Such a relocation plan will be costly and may have some undesirable side effects Mr Akosawa said. "There needs to be a joint effort between the provincial and central government along with the chiefs.it may be costly as well".
One of the villagers spoken to say that the sea levels are still "fluctuating strangely". "Whether real or imagined there is a real sense of doom amongst most villages we visited", Mr Akosawa said.