Houses destroyed and farms ruined in Tuvuca Village, Vanuabalavu

Houses have been destroyed and blown away, with farms ruined as Tropical Cyclone Rae passed through Tuvuca Village which is located offshore from the island of Vanuabalavu with torrential rain and winds causing damage this morning.

A school teacher at Tuvuca Village School Mereseini Waqali Tabaiwalu says the school is currently serving as an evacuation centre, sheltering about 4 to 5 families and she is glad that everyone is safe at the moment.

Tabaiwalu says the strong winds picked up early this morning when they were sleeping and they are glad that preparatory work had begun yesterday as they had expected the cyclone to pick up and hit them today.

She says they are working with the village headman to ascertain the needs and the damages done so far.

She says the wind has slowed down but there is debris everywhere.

Tabaiwalu says the second evacuation centre is the women’s community hall.

She is urging the government if food supplies can be delivered to the island and housing assistance as a few houses have been destroyed.