10 Jun 2011

Crops damaged in Vanuatu floods could take months to regrow

3:03 pm on 10 June 2011

Authorities in Vanuatu's Tafea Province say it will be months before people will recover from recent flooding.

Heavy rain on Tanna Island over the past month has caused flooding around Middle Bush, causing damage to many root crops such as taro, kava and coffee plantations.

The Acting Secretary General in Tafea Province, David Tovovur, says many people are still recovering from the effects of Cyclones Vania and Atu and says it could take six months before food gardens are restored.

"Most of the gardens that were damaged, that's the area where people are depending very much on. And that is where they, I think especially in Middle Bush, they're depending very much on their kava crops, coffee and that's where they get their money and their income from."

David Tovovur says authorities are now carrying out assessments to determine the extent of the damage.