11 Mar 2016

Fiji Red Cross battles access problems

4:47 pm on 11 March 2016

The Fiji Red Cross says it's currently focussing on distributing relief supplies to households in need, though access to some areas continues to prove challenging.

Its director general, Filipe Nainoca, said the Fiji Red Cross was able to assess 11,000 households across the four divisions.

What Winston left of this house in Lavena village Taveuni Fiji

What Winston left of this house in Lavena village Taveuni Fiji Photo: Alex Perrottet/RNZ

He said distribution of aid was in progress, and they had so far been able to give out relief items to about 5,600 households.

Mr Nainoca said this included giving out more than 4,000 tarpaulins, 2,000 jerrycans for water, blankets, clothes, dignity and hygiene kits, as well as kitchen and baby sets.

But he said some communities are difficult to reach, even in the best of times.

"The damage on the roading infrastructure and bridges, this of course will take some time. So we always need to work out alternative ways of being able to take relief supplies to these small remote communities."

He said they were also giving out solar lamps because some districts would be without electricity for some time.