Some farmers in the Western Division are rebuilding their homes from building materials they collected after Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Among them is Joape Nabure, 63, of Drauniivi Village, in Ra.

“I am starting from scratch,” he said.

“It is heartbreaking because my hard work for three years was blown away in two hours.”

Mr Nabure used to live with his wife and 16-year-old son in their two-bedroom wooden home.

It was blown away by the cyclone.

Now they use a tarpaulin as a shelter on the foundation of their old home.

“We are only left with the foundation of the house,” he said.

“I have found some tin plates and timbers to start building the walls of the house. I have yet to find something for the roof.

“Some of our livestock like goats, cattle and pigs on the farm were also blown away by strong winds. We have to find other ways to earn money to build our home now,” Mr Nabure said.

He said they took refuge at the Drauniivi Public School, their nearest evacuation centre, during the height of the cyclone.

Another farmer, Vatili Nakauta of Vunitogoloa Village in Rakiraki said: “My home was not spared as well.”

“I know some of these roofing irons are not mine, but they were flown as debris during the cyclone to my house. So I have used them to try and put a roof over my grandchildren’s head.

“Half of my house was blown away and I just do not want to sit idle and wait around for Government’s help to arrive. We do not know when that will reach our doorstep,” Mr Nakauta said.

A teacher, Ravi Chand of Rakiraki said: “At the moment we are using tarpulin as a roof since the entire roof of our house was blown away. It was lucky for us that no one was injured.”

A farmer near Votua Village, Ba, Shiu Chand, was also repairing the roof of his house yesterday.

“We just have to pick up the pieces and start over again.

“We don’t have any choice,” he said.

Edited by Maikeli Seru

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