Face of resilience

PRIME Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has assured villagers whose farms were destroyed by megastorm Yasa that they will be looked after. He made the comment on his tour of affected areas in the Northern Division yesterday.

Mr Bainimarama urged government officials to ensure Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa victims on Vanua Levu are looked after well.

He arrived in the North yesterday with 50 military officers and 10,000 food ration packs and non-food items for affected families.

The reassurance comes at a time when we are slowly starting to appreciate the power and destructive force of Yasa.

As the State machinery gets into gear in the rehabilitation effort, we are buoyed by the fact that there appears to be a sense of urgency in delivery of assistance.

That is good for those affected.

It should cut down response time, and hopefully assist people quicker.

Yesterday, villagers said the PM’s message was reassuring because many were worried about where their next meal would come from. Less than a week from Christmas, most villagers in Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata said they had enough food rations to last the next three to four days. That’s the frightening reality on the ground.

Many claimed they had been feeding off spoilt root crops and vegetables destroyed by STC Yasa.

“The cassava and even the dalo are not tasty, but we have no choice,” said Vunidamole Village headman Apimeleki Vula.

Residents of surrounding settlements in Wailevu District, Cakaudrove, shared similar sentiments. Sawani Village, Bua, headman Ovini Matavesi said they had enough food to last until Wednesday. Nakalou Village headman Livai Navudi said they needed immediate food rations because 68 families were now homeless.

As of yesterday, about 7000 people were in 183 evacuation centres across the country. That’s the word from National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) director Vasiti Soko.

There are 133 in the Northern Division, 29 in the Western Division, 20 in the Eastern Division and one in the Central Division.

People have been reminded to remain vigilant and warned of possible outbreaks of leptospirosis, typhoid, diarrhoea and dengue fever.

As we start the process of extending our coverage to the most vulnerable and affected areas in the North, we are slowly realising just how bad the system was.

In its wake, Yasa left homes pulverised by strong winds, many flattened, many without roofs, and many villages scattered around the Bua area and on the way towards Dreketi showing the massive impact of the storm.

However, in the face of the huge challenges many northerners face, we are still captivated by the frequent smiles that sort of resonate around the division.

It aptly stands as testimony of the resilience of the Fijian people. In the face of huge damage to property, they still manage to find something to smile about.

Again, we acknowledge all those who are now out on the frontline, trying to bring some semblance of order back into the lives of those affected.

We say, in such times, we need to be united in this rehabilitation effort.