Updated: 7:20am – 2,244 people are still staying in 39 evacuation centres after their homes were severely affected by flash floods associated with Tropical Cyclone Josie over the weekend.
The National Disaster Management Office has confirmed that the number of evacuees have increased as more reports come in from affected areas.
It adds that meeting basic needs and the restoration of essential services are the National Disaster Management Office’s current priorities in its emergency response to areas in the Western Division affected by the recent floods caused by Tropical Cyclone Josie.
A total of 75 military personnel and 21 NFA officers and officers from the Fiji Police Force and Fiji Corrections Service were engaged in the cleaning of communities and municipalities in the immediate aftermath of the floods.
The National Disaster Management Office says the clearing of debris now makes way for the deployment of public health teams from the Ministry of Health to conduct health assessments of evacuation centers and affected communities.
It says the teams are conducting health screening, general health awareness, and inspection of sanitation and hygiene conditions adding that disinfection and mosquito spraying is also being carried out where required and the health officers are also monitoring food and water quality.
They say the Office of the Divisional Commissioner Western had begun distribution of food rations on Monday to evacuation centers, and it continues today to affected communities.
It says teams from the Fiji Electricity Authority and Water Authority of Fiji are working continuously to ensure the full restoration of electricity and water supply in affected communities and municipalities adding that water tanks are also being placed and filled in strategic accessible locations while water carting takes place simultaneously.
-Fiji Village
