Minister Reddy will be briefed on earthquake

The Fiji National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) will update the Minister for Disaster and Management MahendraReddy today on the earthquake that hit Kadavu island on Sunday morning. The NDMO has been regularly updated by the provincial administrator Kadavu Ropate Tuikenawa on the 5.3 magnitude earthquake, which people on Kadavu and other parts of Fiji felt. Speaking from Nabukelevuira Village yesterday, headman Kalaveti Tukutukulevu said they were monitoring the landslide at Mount Washington.

He said a group of fishers went out to sea yesterday and witnessed a big rock rolling down from Mt Washington and splashing into Tavuki Bay.

Qalira Village headman Josaia Lala said they were repairing their pipe which was damaged during the earthquake.

He said they could still feel small tremors.

“We are waiting for advice from the NDMO whether to move out or not,” he said.

Retired school teacher Ruca Senitavu Luvurowaqa from Tavuki said on Sunday night they were advised by their relatives in Suva to leave the village because of a possible tsunami.

She said the women and children were told to move in with their relatives at Baidamudamu, Natumua and Waisomo villages. The men stayed behind. Ms Luvurowaqa said they returned to Tavuki after lunch on Monday.

Yesterday, at about 3am, she said there was another tremor. Alowesi Kaleca was attending a funeral at Nukunuku Village yesterday when she felt the tremor.

The Mineral Resources Department also recorded a moderate earthquake with a deep depth source located at 103km North East from Vatoa Island in the Lau Group.