Devastation Report TC Winston

Winston has been rated as the most powerful cyclone to hit the Southern Hemisphere.

As earlier announced, Winston has left a massive trail of destruction with many homes destroyed in Tailevu, Rakiraki, Tavua, Ba, Lautoka, Savusavu, Taveuni, Ovalau, Koro, Vanuabalavu and nearby areas.

Lomaiviti:

About 40 villagers of Naigani have nothing left after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Speaking from Batiki Island off Ovalau, Donato Kivi said Winston did not spare any homes in Naigani Village including the church on Saturday morning.

Kivi said the villagers took shelter in the bushes from 6 in the evening till early Sunday morning.

Kivi said men from Naigani village got a tarpaulin for the children as they were all freezing due to strong winds and continuous heavy rain.

He added villagers in Batiki Island and Ovalau are surviving on breadfruit.

The villagers are currently taking shelter at Manuku village.

SAVUSAVU:

People in Savusavu remain stranded as communication lines are still down.

A resident of Savusavu Town Praneeta Devi said they can only receive calls but are not able to dial out.

Devi said many houses are destroyed and roads have been inaccessible due to fallen power lines.

Devi said the wharf is also badly affected.

TAVUA :

Around 30 to 40 houses in Nakaika Settlement in Tavua are destroyed.

Resident Fane Boseiwaqa said most of the families were not able to save their belongings as the strong winds ripped their rooftops and destroyed their houses.

She said it was a frightening experience for all of them as strong winds and heavy rain hit Tavua on Saturday night.

Boseiwaqa said while walking around the settlement today - household items, clothes and food is scattered all over the place.

She said people are now cleaning up their compounds.

Meanwhile, all the homes in Toko, Tavua, have been destroyed by Monster Cyclone Winston.

A resident said that most of the houses have lost their rooftops while small homes have been completely wiped out.

Speaking from Tavua town about Saturday night, Ili Hicks said it was the scariest night of her life.

She said that they live in the town area and about 7 houses have been destroyed.

She added they are now just cleaning their areas and trying to get back on their feet.

RAKIRAKI :

More than 50 families living in Dugapatu, Rakiraki, are in urgent need of medical assistance after they sustained serious injuries during Tropical Cyclone Winston.

A relative Vikash Lal told Fijivillage that a number of adults and children were trapped under the roofs and walls that collapsed due to strong winds.

Lal said a number of people have sustained injures on their hips, hands and legs.

He added that power and communication lines are also affected in the area.

Lal said it is raining and flood waters are rising.

BA :

Ajay Kumar of Viseisei, Lautoka, said most of the houses have been destroyed from Teidamu to Raviravi.

Kumar who is on his way to help his friend in Ba said he has seen people carrying corrugated iron sheets and timber from the fields to rebuild their homes.

A lot of sugar plantations are also damaged.

Hundreds of people living in Ba are currently taking shelter at the evacuation centres after their houses were destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

People are currently taking shelter at the 10 evacuation centres opened in Ba.

LAUTOKA:

Residents from Balram Singh Road in Lautoka are in urgent need of food.

Fijivillage received information that residents in that area had little to eat over the weekend and now have nothing to eat.

Residents are just surviving on water.

VUDA:

“I will never forget that night for my entire life.”

Those were the words of the traumatized 55-year-old Mataiyasi Vunakece who stayed with his family under their bed after the roof of their house was blown away by Cyclone Winston.

At around 9pm Saturday, Vunakece, his wife and three daughters could not find shelter anywhere else but under their bed.

He said he was worried about his eldest daughter who is eight months pregnant and her 1-year-old son.

Vunakece and his family are now staying with a family in Saweni.

TAVEUNI :

People in the Southern tip of Taveuni are surviving with very little after Tropical Cyclone Winston destroyed about 90% of the houses.

These areas include Ura, Waiba, Waimaqera, Louwalu, Delaivuna, Vuna, Valelevu and Navokowau.

Speaking to Fijivillage, South Taveuni Primary and Secondary School Manager Krishna Reddy sai most of them have no place to take shelter.

Reddy said two shop owners in the area have been giving free food to the people severely affected by the cyclone.

Reddy said they are in need of urgent help from relevant authorities as the situation is expected to get worse in the next few days.

NAITASIRI :

A total of 44 homes have been destroyed in 6 villages in Naitasiri.

These villages are Natirumai, Savurua, Nasama, Navulokani, Korovou and Waisa.

People in these villages are now cleaning up their homes and they are in need of drinking water and food supplies.

TAILEVU: 

Suraj Deo of Nabilo, Tailevu, said he has never experienced anything like Monster Cyclone Winston over the weekend.

Deo said he had experienced Cyclone Kina but this was scarier and dangerous.

He added that his house was badly damaged and he is staying at a neighbor’s home.

He is calling on the government to help them as they do not have food and water.