Villages go under yet again

Posted by on 2 February 2012 | 0 Comments

2 February 2012 -- Vanuakula and Nabuna villages were under water again yesterday forcing a DISMAC team to work round-the-clock transporting villagers to evacuation centres.

DO Tavua-Nadarivatu Osea Ravukivuki said more villagers were expected to join the evacuees as the rain gained momentum late yesterday.

"These two villages were badly affected and this is the second flooding in a space of three days," he said.

"DISMAC officials are busy transporting villagers to the evacuation centres and members of the community have been warned to take precautionary measures.

"The numbers of evacuees is increasing every hour and we're urging them to stay indoors rather than loiter in town."

Mr Ravukivuki said the villages were surrounded by floodwaters and certain roads leading to the villages were inaccessible. He said some Tavualevu villagers had also evacuated to the Tavua Primary and Tavua District schools.

"The Nabuna flat is under water and roads have been closed to all traffic," he said.

Nabuna Village headman Waisake Semi confirmed they had begun moving villagers to Tavua Primary School.

Mr Semi said although the call from DISMAC officials came on Monday afternoon, he did not allow any of his villagers to move.

He said the water level was rising very quickly by nightfall making it difficult and dangerous for the Nabuna villagers to see their way through the floodwaters.

Yesterday morning, Mr Semi and other villagers then evacuated to Tavua Primary School.

Yesterday close to 180 people from nearby villages were sheltering at the school.

Fiji Times Online