On December 16th, 2012, tropical cyclone Evan destroyed many houses and buildings on Wallis Island. On January 3rd, 2013, it was the turn of cyclone Freda to cause significant material damage to the cities of Thio and Kouaoua, New Caledonia. Standing beside the victims of these disastrous events, the SLN, an ERAMET’s subsidiary, has immediately committed itself to assist them.
On Wallis, the company offered building materials to a value of 500.000 XPF to the disaster victims via the Wallisian foundation. “This gesture seemed natural”, Gilles Poilvé, SLN Health, Security and Environment Director, explains. “Many of our employees being Wallisian, we simply wanted to express our solidarity with this territory and its population.”
In Thio, New Caledonia, on the morning of January 3rd, the SLN alerted its employees, provided material means and collaborated with companies to enable the assisting of the populations affected by tropical storm Freda. Following the storms, the mobilization lasted for about ten days. The SLN also donated 400.000 XPF to the populations via the SNSM (Association of rescuers at sea), and the supply of a helicopter to the SNSM to bring medical assistance to an isolated inhabitant.
In addition, the solidarity and engagement by SLN employees, has been seen by individual and personal donations to the Red Cross and the Secours Populaire for the relief of the disaster victims.
