Radiowaves reporters from Manchester got a personal insight into the impact of the Samoan tsunami when they interviewed people at the Pacific Mini Games in the Cook Islands recently.
Video: Meeting those affected by the tsunami
The young reporters were in the Cook Islands to report on the Pacific Mini Games for Supporter To Reporter when the tsunami struck neighboring Samoa and American Samoa. A tsunami warning was issued for the Cook Islands but after a tense few hours the danger had passed. For many of those competing or attending the games however the tsunami had already struck home. The young reporters spoke with them to get their stories and also to reflect on how they had been affected themselves.
When a natural disaster strikes somewhere far from the UK (either geographically or culturally far) it can be difficult to connect our every day experiences with those caught in the disaster. While 24 hour news might bring us rolling coverage and graphic images from around the world the personal stories often go unheard. For the students from Manchester on S2R the experience is something that deeply affected them and was a reminder that although events may seem far away the reality is much closer to our own lives than we maybe like to think.
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