Big need in Fiji's west with second cyclone in two months
Disaster authorities in Fiji's west say they need many more tents and tarpaulins as the second cyclone in two months was due to hit the country.
Transcript
Disaster authorities in Fiji's west say they need many more tents and tarpaulins as the second cyclone in two months was due to hit the country.
Cyclone Zena follows a deluge of rain over the past week and the devastation of Cyclone Winston just six weeks ago.
The Western Division's national disaster management co-ordinator Sitiveni Tavaga told Sally Round people in his region are still in shock from Winston.
SITIVENI TAVAGA: And now because of the heavy rain, we are a bit worried. From yesterday people have been moving to evacuation centres. Just for their safety. We are providing these emergency services for their safety.
SALLY ROUND: How many of them have moved, do you know?
ST: We have about 7,800 people now at emergency centres. From Rakirakiraki to Sigatoka. They'll be there at least for another 48 hours. We don't expect to move out soon.
SR: This is a lot of pressure on you, and your office, isn't it? You've already been through Winston six weeks ago.
ST: Yes, of course. But we manage to go through these disasters, and we hope that we get through this one again.
SR: Are you happy that people are heeding the warnings and moving away from the flood prone areas?
ST: Yes, of course. From yesterday, once we put up the warning, we have moved, and that's good. It's not like TC Winston. We made warnings, but people had been complacent. From what they have experienced, when we told them to move.
SR: What difficulties will this new cyclone mean for the recovery after Cyclone Winston?
ST: Yes, we still haven't finished with that recovery. We are still doing our response, for the first month and another 13 days when this flood came and another tropical cyclone hit us. But I think we can manage to get through. With all the assistance coming through from overseas, NGOs, we'll manage to get through.
SR: Do you think the cyclone will mean you'll need more assistance?
ST: Yes, we do. As I said, we haven't recovered fully from TC Winston.
SR: What more do you need?
ST: Especially shelters. We need shelters. We are thankful to the overseas donors, from Australia, other overseas donors, but we still need some more. Early this morning we have asked IOM, an International Oragnisation, to assist us with more tarpaulins, as I said, we still need some more.
SR: How much more do you need?
ST: It depends on what Zena will bring to us. But we need more, we need thousands. As of today, I can tell you that there are still people who are coming to this office asking for tarpaulins and tents. We do have some, and we hope that will keep for now but as I said, we need more, thousands.
SR: What about the long term building? How can you help them with that?
ST: The government is working on that, we have a team, a taskforce for shelters and they're working on strategies on how to respond to the need for shelters.
SR: So people need to wait a little bit longer?
ST: Yes, of course. They need to wait for a little. We are starting off with the rehabilitation, starting from the Eastern Division, and we will move up to the other divisions.
SR: What about rations? Is there anything else you need, like food?
ST: Yeah, we need rations, but government has managed to provide rations to the people, it's the government of Fiji that is doing that. If other overseas countries can help us, we are thankful for that.
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.