Villagers leave island home after Winston devastation

The Lomaiviti Princess II arrived this morning at Narain jetty full of people from Koro Island as villagers have left their devastated island after Cyclone Winston.

Navaga villager, 65‑year‑old widow Arieta Mate says nothing was left for them on the island as their houses and farms have been destroyed.

Mate says most of them have decided to move to Suva.

Another student of Koro Island High School, 17‑year‑old Ruci Camaimoala says she has been advised by her relatives to leave the island.

Camaimoala says all their belongings have been destroyed and staying behind means a lot of struggle for them to get their lives back to normal.

She says most of her friends in her school have come to Suva.

926 houses in 14 villages in Koro island have been destroyed by Cyclone Winston.

Meanwhile, people in Koro island are starting to get back on their feet.

When Fijivillage first visited Koro after the devastation caused by Cyclone Winston, people were still in shock as they did not know what to do.

Fijivillage visited Koro Island again over the weekend and noticed a big change where villagers are cleaning up and re-building their houses with the tools that were provided to them.