Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office(NDMO) is still to establish communication with their officer in Kadavu reportedly hit hard as Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Harold passed over the island this afternoon.
NDMO public relations officer Rusiate Baleilevuka said they have not heard back from Provincial Administrator Kadavu Ropate Rakadi who is based in Vunisea since midday, approximately two hours before TC Harold descended on the island.
Footage shared on social media platform Facebook supposedly from Kadavu showed trees being blown about as winds picked up strength.
In the lead up to the cyclone, part of the preparatory measures communicated to NDMO officers on the ground, including Kadavu was the need to take safety measures as well as adhere to COVID19 protocols. Eighty-seven evacuation centres were also set up in various villages on the island for those displaced by the category four system.
“All low-lying areas were advised on flash flooding that may arise. All village headmen, district advisory councils and ‘tikina’ reps have been advised on the current system.”
In Levuka five evacuation centres have been activated in Nacobo community hall, St Johns College in Cawaci, Levuka Vakaviti, Visoto Primary School and Vatukalo providing temporary shelter to 90 people.
The five are among 69 centres opened across the country sheltering 1778 people – 22 centres in the central division with 569, in the west, 40 with 1086 occupants, and two in the North with 33.
Contacts to all evacuation centres on Kadavu are here.
