rescuers struggle to aid quake victims - air purifier for home use

Rescuers are scrambling to reach the quake-hit area.
Devastated villages in the Solomon Islands
Abnormal earthquake activity
The distant Pacific region continues to be shaken by strong aftershocks.
Three days after a deadly attack, Pungent steam reportedly emerged from cracks on the ground. 0-
The Richter earthquake triggered a tsunami in the area, killing at least 13 people, destroying villages and leaving thousands homeless.
It was reported that 12 more houses were destroyed after six years.
Level 8 tremor, another level 7.
Late Friday, villagers fled to higher ground amid fears of another tsunami.
As a series of aftershocks continued to hamper rescue efforts, the Solomon Islands government declared the Santa Cruz Islands a disaster area.
The fragile communication system means officials in the capital Honiara are working to get a clear picture of the extent of the damage, but the Red Cross says food, water and shelter are priorities for the earthquake --hit villages.
On Friday, an Australian air force plane flew over the affected area, confirming that the worst damage occurred near the provincial capital of Lata.
The authorities were not immediately able to obtain a cargo aircraft capable of landing on the runway of the Lata airport, and urgently needed supplies would be delivered within one day --
A long trip from the capital of Honiara Solomon.
"Rescue operations continue despite the earthquake and aftershocks.
"Water and food are priorities," said Red Cross Secretary-General Joanne Zoleveke . ".
The first ship to arrive was only a police launch ship carrying medical supplies, food and shelter, arriving at the Lata on Friday night, but was not moored until Saturday morning due to the continuing earthquake.
Volcano and earthquake experts have also been asked to analyze the importance of rising ground steam in parts of the Santa Cruz Islands.
A spokesman for the national disaster management office told AFP from Honiara: "There is a lot of unusual earthquake activity . ".
"The Earth is obviously doing something there.
We ask scientific experts to give us some information about what they think might happen.
There were cracks and some steam and water came out.
A spokesman for the National Disaster Management Office said that "the first major aftershock on Friday" caused very small fluctuations, which caused some damage to the Lata terminal, which also hindered the unloading of emergency supplies.
A large vessel carrying rice, water and water purifiers is expected to arrive on Sunday morning.
Aftershocks prevented villagers from returning home, hiding in makeshift camps where food was limited, and World Vision warned that sanitation would soon be a problem.
Solomon is part of the "Ring of Fire", a structural activity area around the Pacific Ocean with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
8 after the 2007 tsunami. 0-
In the Solomon Islands, the Richter earthquake killed at least 52 people and left thousands homeless.