Evacuees vacate evacuation centre

While the 190 evacuees have been told to return home, five families have requested they stay back a day longer as water has not receded near their homes.

Andrews Primary School in Nadi has been an evacuation centre following the adverse and flooding in Nadi three days ago.

Majority of the evacuees were families living in the low-lying areas of Nawaijikuma and Nawakalevu settlement in Nawaka.

Yesterday, Nadi District Officer, Alifereti Abenisiga instructed that evacuees clear up and vacate the classrooms before 3pm.

“Families have been returning to their homes. Only five have asked they stay back because water level was still high in their areas,” an evacuee Veveni Waqamasinika said.

“They’re worried that it going to rain again that is why they have requested to stay again for another day; but the DO wants everyone to return to their homes,” he said.

“After the flood we kept checking on our houses and doing some clean up too.

“The DO has directed us that before 3pm today (yesterday) we have to leave this place. Despite the five families’ request, they have been instructed to move also.

“We are so grateful that have been sheltered here,” the father of five said.

Mr Waqamasinika said they have been better assisted this year with the Muslim community and the Hare Krishna religious group, the first to give them assistance.

Others that helped included the People’s Alliance party in Nadi, Frenzco Beverage Limited, South Pacific Foundation and non-governmental organisations.

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