Helping fellow Fijians is the greatest gift we can give to the people who desperately need assistance.

The call has been made for everyone to assist people in need after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Fijivillage is also speaking to some people who went out to save others during the height of Cyclone Winston.

A 50-year-old villager from Silana in Tailevu North, Sanaila Rokotuivuna saved many lives in his village on Saturday night.

Although Rokotuivuna got injured while doing this, he did not lose hope and continued to carry some children and elderly men and women to safety.

Rokotuivuna told Fijivillage that he decided to act when he took his wife, 8 children and 72-year-old sister-in-law, Mereaia Leba to the village hall.

50-year-old Sanaila Rokotuivuna from Silana in Tailevu North talks about his experience through TC Winston.

At about 5pm, the heavy sea swells started going into the village hall where people were sheltering. They thought that they would be safe there.

Rokotuivuna told the 60 villagers stuck in the hall that they had to move to Navunisea District School which was 400 metres away.

With raging winds outside and rising waters everywhere including the hall, Rokotuivuna decided to take action and told the men, women and children in the village to crawl to the school.

Rokotuivuna carried his 72-year-old sister-in-law and had to stop at a partially constructed house.

As he was moving to the school, he heard about 4 village elders and 6 children calling out for help from the village hall.

He left his sister-in-law in a secure place in the partially constructed house and then crawled over to the village hall.

With strong winds and debris flying all over, Rokotuivuna was hit by a louvre blade and corrugated iron sheet. He had deep cuts on his foot and knee however Rokotuivuna decided that he did not want to leave anyone behind in the village hall.

Rokotuivuna had to go to the village hall and back to the school 10 times to rescue the 4 elders and 6 children.

He made sure that all the villagers were at the village hall including his wife and children.

Rokotuivuna then crawled back to the partially constructed house to get his 72 year old sister Leba who was now swept out of the house and was holding on to a pole.

He also managed to get her to the school at 8pm Saturday.  

Leba’s body temperature was dropping as she could not cope with the cold that night but she kept on telling Rokotuivuna to save other women and children who were still struggling to make their way to Navunisea District School.

Leba passed away that night.

Her final words to Rokotuivuna was - thank you for saving the lives of the villagers. Please protect everyone.

32 houses and eight backpackers bures in Silana have all been  destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

The villagers need assistance to build their houses as nothing is left and their children want to go back to school.

Rokotuivuna says they will never lose hope.

5 percent of the country’s population is currently staying in evacuation centres after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Minister for National Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu confirms that 45,245 people are currently sheltering at 275 evacuation centres around the country.

16,135 people are staying at evacuation centres in the Central Division, 22,181 people are staying at centres in the Western Division, 2,700 in the Eastern Division and 4,229 in the North.

The death toll after Cyclone Winston stands at 42 however this number is expected to increase further.

There are reports of 122 people getting injured during the cyclone while 45 people have been hospitalised.

 

PM Bainimarama visited those affected by Cyclone Winston in Nasinu, Silana, Nataleira and Driti.

Posted by Fijivillage on Wednesday, February 24, 2016

 

Narewa family hoping for miracle after losing home in TC Winston

A family in Narewa in Rakiraki is now hoping for a miracle after they lost their home in Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Kiran Lata says they are currently staying in a truck.

Speaking to Fijivillage after receiving ration packs, Lata said that they did not know that this type of damage would be done by Cyclone Winston.

Lata says they kept her 76-old-year father under a table during the cyclone and they stood by holding the roof. The roof of their house was blown away.

Nothing is left in their house.

Lata, her brother and her 76-year-old father are staying in an old Motibhais truck.

She says they are slowly cleaning up and do not know how things will go.

Her father cannot live in the truck as he is an asthma patient and it gets very hot.

Lata says her father keeps asking them to take him inside the house but there is nothing left in the house.

The 76-year-old man was found lying unconscious under the table after the cyclone. His son then walked from Narewa to Rakiraki hospital to get an asthma pump for his father as he was struggling to breathe. 

They are worrying a lot about how they are going to rebuild their lives as Lata’s brother, Avinesh Amit Singh only does some casual jobs around Rakiraki.

 
Narewa family hoping for miracle after losing home to TC Winston

Narewa siblings Kiran Lata and Avinesh Amit Singh who are living in a truck with their elderly father are hoping for a miracle after they lost their home during Cyclone Winston #Survivors

Posted by Fijivillage on Thursday, 25 February 2016


FNPF members living in urban areas can help parents affected by TC Winston

Members of the Fiji National Provident Fund who live in urban areas can help their parents who lost their houses during Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Chief Operating Officer Jaoji Koroi says members who wish to help their family can apply under the current normal housing policy.

Koroi says parents should write a consent letter to FNPF allowing their children to withdraw their funds to assist them rebuild their house.

Koroi says for quick repairs, FNPF will pay out 80% upfront and 20% after acquittals and evidence is received.

He says the responsibility is on FNPF members to ensure that they utilize these funds for the stated withdrawal purpose.

Meanwhile FNPF reiterates that engineers certificates are not required for any FNPF assistance.

India sends 40 tonnes of medicine, food and tents through Air Force

India is sending at least 40 tonnes of medicine, food and tents by an Indian Air Force plane to Fiji which will reach the country by 12.30pm tomorrow.

The Indian High Commission’s Acting Head of Mission, J.S. Rana says this is the extra contribution from the Indian Government to the cash donation of $1 million US dollars that was given earlier to provide assistance to the affected people after Cyclone Winston.

Rana says the items will be handed over to the Fijian Government tomorrow.

Hare Krishna Society gives out cooked meals to Evac centers in the West

The Hare Krishna Society has been giving cooked meals to evacuation centers in the western division.

Some of the areas they have covered are Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki.

Food for life relief coordinator, Dr. Rajesh Maharaj says they have given more than one thousand plates of meals so far.

They will also be giving out rations and 2,000 plates of meals this weekend.


Counselling services for people affected by TC Winston

Counseling services will be available to people affected by Monster Cyclone Winston through the toll free number 132-454 from today.

This help line will be available for 24 hours.

Lifeline Fiji and the Ministry of Health have joined forces to provide this initiative for all those people traumatized from the loss of their homes and loved ones.

Executive Director of Lifeline Fiji, Archana Mani says they have fifteen people who will be managing the phone lines and seven of them are senior counselors.

She says they are already receiving calls.

Mani says they are also working with the Ministry of Education to provide counseling services for students who witnessed the devastation during Cyclone Winston.

They will work with counselors from the Ministry of Education.

A team of counselors from Lifeline Fiji are already on the ground offering their services to those affected by the Cyclone.

They are in Naitasiri and Rewa this week.


Kings Highway open to all traffic

The Fiji Roads Authority says Kings Highway is open to all traffic.

FRA says the Yaqara Bridge has been fixed.

We have also contacted Sunbeam Transport Limited as a number of people have contacted us saying they want to travel to the West through the Kings Road however there is no bus service.

Sunbeam Transport Limited has confirmed that two buses will leave the Suva Bus Stand today and those people who want to travel to the Western Division through Kings road can do so free of charge.

Kings Highway being cleared for passing vehicles.

The first bus left in the last hour while the second bus will leave Suva Bus Stand at 1.30pm.

Sunbeam’s Traffic Manager, Sundreshan Goundar says they want to help the people who want to visit their family and friends in the Western Division.

He says they will make an assessment later today and will confirm whether normal bus services through Kings Road will normalise from tomorrow.

 

Helicopters to land in Taveuni, Labasa and Koro

The National Emergency Operations Centre is advising the people of Taveuni, Labasa and Koro to expect helicopters to land in their area today.

People are to refrain from approaching landing helicopters for safety reasons. 

Bainimarama personally visiting affected areas

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama is personally visiting all the areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Bainimarama is accompanying the team distributing food rations.

Yesterday, he even gave some money from his own pocket to the children affected in Ra.

Bainimarama told people to stay strong.

The Prime Minister also handed out food from his vehicle to children standing on the roadside.

He stopped at a few houses and donated money.

Bainimarama is in Tavua today.

 
Posted by Fijivillage on Thursday, February 25, 2016

 

Family able to pay for daughter’s funeral after overwhelming support

“I will be able to farewell my only daughter with the respect she deserves after the support of the people from around the country.”

These were the words of Pradeep Kumar whose 16-year-old daughter, Priyansha Payal died after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Kumar says he has received about $2,000 cash and groceries.

Payal and her family members were inside their house on Saturday night when the roof blew away and she died on Monday after suffering from high fever.

She was an asthma patient.

Kumar told Fijivillage that his family has been overwhelmed by the support and has thanked everyone for supporting his family in this difficult period.

He had highlighted on Fijivillage earlier this week that he could not afford to pay for his daughter’s funeral as they had lost everything after the cyclone.

People came forward to assist his family after hearing the story.

Payal will be laid to rest today.

We would like to thank everyone who came out to support the Kumar family.

 

Singapore PM sends condolence message 

Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Loong has written to Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama to offer his condolences on the destruction caused by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Singapore has provided US$100,000 to assist in Fiji’s relief and recovery efforts.

Loong says he is confident that Fiji will recover quickly under Bainimarama’s leadership.

 

44 people from Yacata Island transported to Suva

44 people from Yacata Island which includes 19 children and 25 adults have been transported to Suva as they do not have anything left.

This has been confirmed by Divisional Planning Officer Northern, Alipate Bolalevu who says 34 houses on the Island have sustained major damages while 16 were partially damaged.

He says these people have lost everything and this is why they have decided to go and live with their families in Suva.

A hotel in Yacata Island arranged their transportation through their aircraft.

Bolalevu says only four houses on the island were spared from Tropical Cyclone Winston.

In a briefing, Bolalevu says his teams are on the ground gathering information.

Australia to send third aircraft today to help with relief supplies

Australia will send another aircraft today to help distribute relief supplies to those affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

In an interview with Fijivillage, Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Margaret Twomey says they only have two helicopters supplying relief items to a number of areas in the Northern Division.

Twomey says when the third aircraft arrives today they will be able to distribute aid across the country to areas that are in great need of assistance.

Twomey adds Australia will also deploy a vessel soon.

She says Australia has so far donated relief supplies and logistical support worth $7.7 million Fijian dollars with more than 120 personnel in Fiji helping in distributing relief supplies.

 

Â