ShelterBox response to Fiji
Category-5 Tropical Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm ever recorded to make landfall on the Southern Hemisphere, hit Fiji on Saturday, Feb. 20, killing at least 42 people and leaving thousands homeless. Fiji is a popular tourist destination, has a population of about 900,000 people and includes more than 320 islands, volcanic outcrops and coral atolls. Many are inhabited, but inaccessible and very vulnerable to high tides.
UNOCHA has provided the following statistics:
• The Fiji Government estimates almost 350,000 people living in the cyclone’s path could have been affected – 180,000 men and 170 000 women.
• 41 people have been confirmed dead.
• 131 people are injured.
• Aid has begun arriving in cyclone affected communities, especially the hard hit outer islands and Rakiraki in the West.
• Almost 50,000 people are currently sheltering in nearly 800 evacuation centres.
• Damage to agriculture is estimated to be US$61 million with 100 per cent of crops destroyed in the worst affected areas.
• At least 117 schools have been damaged
• A 30 day State of Natural Disaster has been declared.
A ShelterBox Response Team has already deployed aid for a medical centre on the island of Makogai and has called in pre-postioned stock from Aukland and Melbourne. The team is coordinating with the Fijian Government, who are leading the emergency response. Shelterbox is also working with Rotary and Sea Mercy, a charity that provides volunteer fleets of vessels and yachts that are already stationed in the South Pacific. Sea Mercy is ready to facilitate needs assessments and deliver much-needed emergency aid to the affected islands.
The specific aid that ShelterBox supplies is likely to be some of the most needed items in this type of emergency. Winds of the magnitude (300 km/hour) experienced in Cyclone Winston will tear apart homes, strip edible coconuts and fruit from trees, uproot any crops, and contaminate drinking supply with ocean water. What the wind did not destroy, the storm surge of waves being pushed inland will carry everything back out to sea once the storm has passed. This leaves those living on the remote islands without shelter, food, safe drinking water and even the tools and materials to rebuild their shattered lives. The ShelterBox Response team has already requested luminAID solar lights and additional water purification units because the ground water is contaminated and water collection devices have been destroyed.
Our AustralianDistricts have combined to evaluate ongoing aide that we might give, and DG Gary will be in touch shortly with requests. In the meantime, donations to ShelterBox will go a long way to help.