Residents living in a settlement in Seaqaqa said the Government delegation visit yesterday brought a ray of hope as they begin rebuilding their lives after Cyclone Yasa.

The Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stopped at the Korosomo Settlement to assess the damage caused by the monster storm last Thursday.

Seven homes out of the twelve at the settlement were destroyed by the cyclone.

Lusiana Dikanaca and the rest of the families were surprised when they saw Mr Sayed-Khaiyum and his delegation in their small community.

She recalled how she and her six children moved to her sister’s house to take shelter.

Her one-bedroom home, which houses them and her husband was destroyed by the cyclone.

“We all cried as we saw our house blown into pieces all over the place,” Ms Dikanaca said.

“We had moved to the settlement because life was hard during the pandemic.”

“My husband’s job is on a call on base and he does not earn much. My children’s school stuff are all ruined,” she said.

The residents were repairing their water catchment when the Government delegation arrived.

Resident, Anania Vakacaucau, 51, said they had never experienced a cyclone of such magnitude.

He added that they received the cyclone news alert very late and coupled with transportation challenges, it was difficult for them to evacuate to Tabia in time.

“We went under the floor as the wind was blowing away our houses,” he said.

“When the winds subsided the next morning, we got up and started collecting the roofing right up in the mountains, brought it and built our homes again.”

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