An environmental disaster in Chuuk Lagoon has left hundreds of families struggling to survive after oil from a sunken World War II shipwreck seeped into their fishing grounds and taro patches—wiping out food and water sources on Uman Island. 

Major Taylor Santos of the Salvation Army says the oil spill surged into local taro patches, destroying vital crops and contaminating water supplies.

A month after the leak began, the Salvation Army, in coordination with Chuuk State and FSM national officials, delivered emergency relief—three weeks’ worth of rice, water, canned goods, and essentials to more than six hundred residents in two affected villages.

Major Eric Tumale, the Salvation Army Guam Corps officer and Micronesia coordinator, who led the effort, says the mission is about ensuring no family goes hungry during this crisis. The operation was supported by IOM, local volunteers, and the Rotary Club of Pohnpei.

While the immediate leak has been patched, officials warn that dozens of WWII-era shipwrecks still rest beneath Chuuk Lagoon—each carrying thousands of liters of oil that could pose future threats to island communities. 

To learn more about the Salvation Army’s disaster response and programs across the Pacific, visit hawaii.salvationarmy.org.