20 May 2016

Fiji cyclone victims in high spirits despite rebuild delays

4:06 pm on 20 May 2016

Cyclone victims in Fiji's Lautoka region are in high spirits despite ongoing delays to getting the rebuild in their area underway.

Pastor Mike Naisau of the C3 Church in the Lovu Settlement, Lautoka

Pastor Mike Naisau of the C3 Church who ministers to the Lovu community says people are in high spirits despite ongoing delays to the rebuild. Photo: RNZ/ Sally Round

It's been three months since Cyclone Winston, the strongest cyclone to make landfall in the South Pacific in recorded history, tore through Fiji's main island of Viti Levu.

The government's co-ordination of the local and international disaster response has been relatively well organised and well received by affected communities.

But the sheer magnitude of the destruction has meant efforts to acquire the resources and material to begin rebuilding continues to be slow.

This is especially true for more than 300 families in the Lovu settlement North of Lautoka who have yet to start rebuilding their homes.

Pastor Mike Naisau of the C3 Church who ministers to the community said the people he had spoken to were in high spirits despite the delays.

"I can say it is almost back to normal with life. Except for some of the houses that are still damaged and all that," he said.

"Otherwise when we talk to people things seems to be going back to normal. It is quite a quick recovery. You know it is surprising to see what has taken place in a very short time."

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