Over 4,000 Fijians in evacuation centers due to tropical cyclone-Xinhua

Over 4,000 Fijians in evacuation centers due to tropical cyclone

Source: Xinhua| 2022-01-12 15:06:31|Editor: huaxia

SUVA, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Around 4,630 people were taking shelter in 162 evacuation centers across Fiji after TD03F, which later developed into Tropical Cyclone Cody, brought incessant heavy rain and floods over the last couple of days.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) said on Wednesday that 115 evacuation centers were open in the Western side of Viti Levu, the country's main island, 42 in the central division while five are in the northern division on Vanua Levu, the second largest island of Fiji.

The NDMO was trying to get schools decontaminated and ready for school resumption soon, said Fiji's Minister for Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu.

He said that they were focusing on the safe return of evacuees to their homes first.

Seruiratu said for electricity and water supplies, the restoration was in the hands of the service providers who were working around the clock to restore it.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) was currently carrying out the initial damage assessment for roads that sustained damages during the flooding.

The Category 1 storm left one person dead, caused widespread flooding which forced about 2,000 people to flee their homes and seek shelter at evacuation centers activated across Fiji at the height of the storm.

The cyclone season in Fiji is between November to April every year.

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