There are 29 confirmed deaths due to Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston while 1 person is reported to be missing in the Lomaiviti group.
Director of the National Disaster Management Office, Akapusi Tuifagalele also confirms that the reports of injuries to people stands at 27 in the Western division, 39 people are reported to be injured while 3 people are hospitalised in the Eastern division, and 3 people were injured in the Central division.
These numbers are expected to increase further.
Government Priorities:
Minister for National Disaster Management, Inia Seruiratu says their immediate priority is to address the basic needs of the people severely affected by Cyclone Winston.
Seruiratu says they are also gathering information on the number of people who desperately need food and water.
Prime Minister assures the nation
Let us all come together and help our fellow Fijians who are in desperate need of assistance after Tropical Cyclone Winston.
In his national address, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama is calling on everyone to assist in this national effort to overcome any obstacles and reach out to those in need.
Bainimarama says all donations will be coordinated through the National Disaster Management Office to avoid duplication.
Bainimarama says unfortunately the recovery process will take time, perhaps a long time as almost no part of our country has been left unscarred.
He says they are doing their best to reach people.
Bainimarama has asked people for patience and understanding and says they realise the desperate position the people are in.
FNPF is also making $1000 available to its members for immediate disaster relief, with an additional $5000 available for home repairs. For those who have experienced even greater damage, the FNPF will also offer greater assistance through the housing allocation fund so that they can rebuild their homes and put this disaster behind them as soon as possible.
He will also make an announcement in the coming days regarding a specific package to assist those who have lost their homes or whose homes have been damaged and need repairs.
Bainimarama adds it is time for Fiji to fight back, a time to stand together as one people and rebuild our country.
Evacuation Centres:
13,193 people are currently sheltering at 274 evacuation centres around the country.
4,880 people are staying at 122 evacuation centres in the Central division, 6,483 people are staying at 110 evacuation centres in the Western division, 2035 evacuees are staying at 33 centres in the Northern division while 514 people are staying at the evacuation centres in the Eastern division.
Schools:
About 64 schools have been badly damaged by Tropical Cyclone Winston.
This number is expected to increase further.
Homes Damaged:
315 homes have been destroyed in Lomaiviti while 65 houses were partially damaged.
More reports are expected from all the divisions as the DISMAC assessment teams are on the ground.
PM Visits Evacuation Centre
Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama gave some food ration packs to the people taking shelter at Nasinu Sangam School in Narere earlier this afternoon.
There are nine families staying at the evacuation centre after they were affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.
Rebuilding Stage:
The government is hoping to get international assistance to rebuild the homes of those people who lost everything after Tropical Cyclone Winston and do not have any other means to build their houses again.
DISMAC Director, Akapusi Tuifagalele says they need immediate international assistance to ensure that the people who are severely affected, are provided with temporary shelter.
Tuifagalele says the rebuilding phase will be a massive task.
Calls have been made for everyone to work together to provide the much needed assistance to our fellow Fijians who are in desperate need of food, water, clothing and shelter.
Koro:
Raijieli Yabakidrau a 46-year-old women from Kade village in Koro will always remember their big water tank outside their house for saving her life from the Monster Cyclone Winston.
Yabakidrau was still looking for her husband when Cyclone Winston started hitting Koro Island at midday on Saturday.
She managed to find her husband and two daughters a few minutes later as they witnessed houses being torn apart from destructive winds.
Little did Yabakidrau know that the house they were looking to shelter in was already destroyed and its family members were hiding under the floor.
Her husband then told her to find any other place where they found their big water tank that protected them the rest of the night.
Yabakidrau could not even feel the pain of the iron roof that struck her leg as she only wished to stay alive.
Around 200 people are living in Kade village and only three houses are left where they are all staying in.
From Saturday night, villages are surviving from breadfruit and other left over food they have left.
About nine people in the village were badly injured are have been treated by the Health officials who arrived in Koro Island with the DISMAC team yesterday.
Rakiraki:
Many people are badly affected in Rakiraki.
The Advisory Councillor for Volivoli East and West and Rarapatu,
Divendra Prasad says they have received information that an elderly woman who was bedridden died inside her house on Saturday night when Rakiraki was feeling the full brunt of the Cyclone.
He said the woman was inside her house with her daughter-in-law in Ellington when the roof blew away in strong winds and the elderly woman died because of severe injuries.
Prasad said it is a very difficult situation for everyone and people are crying nearly everywhere.
He said most of the houses have been badly damaged in Volivoli, Barotu, Ellington and other nearby areas.
Prasad said people are in urgent need of basic food items.
61-year old-Prasad said that they had thought that this Cyclone will only do little damage.
Prasad who lives in Volivoli says the roof of his house was blown away like a piece of paper.
He says he and his family members just held each other in one of the rooms and waited for the winds to ease.
According to Prasad, a number of shops in Rakiraki town have also sustained major damages.
Ba:
Despite the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Winston, people are still helping each other to get their lives together.
Dinesh Sharma of Varadoli, Ba says people in their community are helping each other.
Sharma says people are helping in repairing what ever they can, clearing trees from rooftops and cleaning compound.
Almost all houses in Varadoli, Ba have sustained damages.
He says FEA posts are down, sugarcane planatations are damaged and some fields still have water in them.
Sharma says food supplies are low and the town is closed.
He adds he has never witnessed anything like this in his life.
Nausori:
A family of four in Lakena Nausori is still in shock as the family has lost it's sole breadwinner after Monster Cyclone Winston.
42-year-old Premila Devi says the roof of their house was blown away in strong winds on Saturday and they were forced to take shelter at her mother's house in the same area.
Devi says her 51-year-old husband, Brij Bhan had gone to check their house yesterday when he suddenly collapsed.
The mother of three says her husband must have been stressed thinking how he was going to support his family.
Devi says she does not know how she will support her three children.
She is pleading to members of the public for help as the family is left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Savusavu:
"Im grateful that we made it through unharmed".
This is according to Noleen Hazelman who shared her experience to Fijivillage when Tropical Cyclone Winston hit Savusavu.
Hazelman who lives in Rava Estate says the winds were very strong and they thought that their house would be blown away.
She says they are lucky to survive Monster Cyclone Winston.
Yacata Island:
Villagers of Yacata Island are heavily dependent on the only canteen on the Island that is giving out free food to the people.
Tomasi Sokocabebula who works in Kaibu Island but took shelter in Yacata Island on Saturday night says about 28 houses were badly damaged in the area.
He says the villagers are reminded to help one another as they do not have enough food and water on the Island.
Roads update:
A number of roads remain closed around the country.
The Fiji Roads Authority says the Savusavu Jetty, Nabouwalu Jetty, Taveuni Jetty, Koro Jetty and Nabouwalu to Wailevu roads are still closed.
The Sigatoka Valley Road and Kavanagasau roads are partially open to traffic.
The Queens Highway and the Kings Highway is open.
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