Residents of Wainadoi Settlement, more than 15 kilometres from Navua, suffered damage to homes as flood waters inundated the area at around 3am on Thursday.

Students in the area could not go to school yesterday because the bridge, which is the only route to reach the main road, was flooded.

There are around 25 houses in the settlement and all of them rely on the bridge to get to the other side.

Gurdeep Singh, who has lived in the settlement all his life, said flooding was a common occurrence in the area.

“Students could not go to school and everyone else chose to stay home in case the river gets flooded again and we are trapped on the other side,” Mr Singh said.

“My house is built on poles so water did not get inside, but a lot of the houses on the lower end were flooded and must have incurred damage.”

The makeshift bridge currently being used has been made by the residents after the old bridge had been damaged in a similar flood.

At Nabukavesi Village, 15km from Navua on the Queens Road, we met Ro Katarina Maramanitabua.

With an umbrella in one hand, carrying her nine-month-old daughter in a baby carrier and holding her sarong in the other, Ro Katarina crossed the flooded road.

“This is common in the area now and makes things really difficult for the residents.”

Another resident, Litia Soko, is contemplating her family’s future after the recent flooding.

Ms Soko, who has been living at Nabukavesi for the past 20 years, said flooding is becoming a common occurrence in the area lately.

“I am discussing with my husband and we are really thinking about how we can continue to live here with flooding becoming such a threat,” said the 50-year-old.

The Fiji Meteorological Service in an update last night confirmed a heavy rain warning remained in force for the Lau and Lomaiviti Group, Vanua Levu, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands and the eastern and interior parts of Viti Levu.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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