Half-Minute Phone Call Saves Family of 10
It was around 9pm on December 17, that a half minute phone call resulted in the successful rescue of a family of 10 including two babies at the height of Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
Louisiana Cagi of Wasavulu Settlement in Labasa, detailed the account of the heart-stopping ordeal that could have otherwise gone wrong because there was no mobile network.
She, with three adults, four young children and the two babies were sitting in their living room when the strong winds began to rip off the roof of their home. She quickly ushered her children and grandchildren into the bedroom.
Just as they were settled in, a more fierce wind blew off the front wall of their house eventually ripping off the entire roof. When they looked up they saw saw the dark skies and roof blowing off into the distance.
They tried calling the emergency numbers but there was no network.
Her son tried again to call Ms Cag’s brother, Rowate Tadai, who worked as a security guard at Roqomate House just next to the Operations Centre at Macuata House for help.
In this attempt, she prayed that God would open a window of opportunity. Ms Cagi believed God opened the phone line for half a minute to make that one call go through.
As a result, her sister-in-law Alisi Ravua, answered the call.
Ms Ravua, braved the raging storm by running across to the Operations Centre. When she finally made it, panting and drenched, the officers on standby were shocked and couldn’t believe her bravery. At first they thought they saw a ghost and replied that only Superman could have come through such strong winds. Ms Ravua then told the operations officers that two babies and their family needed to be evacuated immediately.
Despite the situation, Operations officers Walter Matalau with Police officers went to the location along with her.
When the vehicle parked outside what was left of the home, neither the rescuers nor those in distress could come out because of the cyclone intensity. It was 11pm.
Both parties used a torch to signal that help was there and waited for the winds to subside.
As it did, the officers quickly ran into the house and took the babies first and then the four children and the four adults into the twin-cab.
The family was taken to Roqomate House and spent two nights there.
Ms Cagi said: “I thank God that He allowed a moment for the phone call to go through, for giving my sister-in-law the courage to run across to the next building to seek help and the quick response from the Operations team that saved our lives to live another year.”