More than 200 people who were living in tents for over a year now, have had to move to evacuation centre’s due to the weather in the Northern Division.

On December 2020, the villagers were moved to evacuation centres due to the impact of Tropical Cyclone Yasa, while there, Tropical Cyclone Ana had also made an impact .

They have since been living in tents.

The villagers could not contain themselves as the heavy rain spell over the weekend led them to pack their belongings once again and move back to the evacuation centres. The Maramarua District School and the Assemblies of God Church in Savadrua in Dreketi, Macuata.

Nabavatu villager Fillmore Tomu is among the many who had to pack their belongings in haste as heavy rain and windy conditions were getting worse.

Tents could not accommodate them any longer as there were no dry area for them to sit.

“When the winds began to pick up speed on Saturday morning, we had no choice but to start packing our belongings and dismantle the tent that has been our home for the past year to move back to the evacuation centres,” Mr Tomu said.

“We had to hurry as we were also concerned of the small stream that we had to cross that was quickly rising and would bring in the flood.

“We were evacuated at the centres December 2020 for TC Yasa and while there TC Ana came and a year has gone by from the tent and was back at the centres.

“It was early morning when the strong winds almost blew away the tents, that was when we had to act and dismantle everything.

“We rushed to pack and leave the tent as the military officers were on their way to ensure that we had move to safety,”he said.

Tents were taken down because of both rain and possible flooding.

District representative

District representative Eseroma Lava said there were more than 200 people in the two evacuation centres.

He assured that everyone eligible for vaccination had been vaccinated and they are continuing COVID-safe measures

Mr Lava confirmed that there was a directive from the Commissioner Northern’s office to move to the evacuation centres and they were assisted by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF).

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