Aerial Surveys are now being conducted to get a feedback of the ground situation.

DISMAC Operations Officer, Anthony Blake said the Commissioner Eastern Colonel Ifereimi Vasu will be onboard Australian Air Force aircraft that will conduct an ariel survey today and they are currently liaising with the French government for their surveillance aircraft to come in as they have the capacity to take in very low level high definition still photos of villages.
 
Blake said that they have identified that the immediate needs at the moment for villages and communities is shelter in terms of tarpaulins and tents.
 
There are also reports of extensive damage coming out from the Lau Group of houses and schools.
 
According to Blake they have identified the need for big marquees for schools that have been damaged, to put up and continue with classes until repair work is carried out.

Blake said their DISMAC office in the Western Division have closed their operations today, and they are now focusing on Cikobia, Taveuni, Eastern Northern group as well as Lomaiviti and Lau group.
 
The closure of evacuation centres have decreased slightly the Northern Division has over 100 evacuation centres and just under 10,000 people are at the evacuation centres.

As for those evacuation centres located in schools Commissioners have been requested to move people to another location such as community halls.

He added by the end of today, all the evacuation centres would be closed.