It is not advisable to travel to the Western Division as Semo bridge in Sigatoka is currently closed due to flooding.
Korotogo road in Sigatoka is also closed.
Kings Highway is also closed in certain areas in Wainibuka.
Baleinaga and Naqia bridge in the King Roads is under water and is closed to all traffic.
We now look at the flood affected areas and a reminder to people living in flood prone areas to take the necessary precautions now.
Situation in Ba:
With most areas in Ba submerged in flood waters the fear is that with high tide expected this hour, the Ba River would burst it’s banks.
Ba special administrator Arun Prasad said flood waters this time is higher than what they experienced in the previous floods.
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According to Prasad, nine schools in Ba have been opened as evacuation centers.
There is a curfew now in Ba according to the Special Administrator, Arun Prasad.
We are contacting Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro but there is no answer on the decision of the Police.
Rescue operations continue in Ba with three people of Yalalevu rescued in the last hour.
Those rescued are an 80 year old woman, a disabled elederly man and a young woman.
Ropes were tied between the two homes to help them across with neighbours also assisting in moving them to safety.
The three are now sheltering at Shalen Chand’s residence who said more people are stuck in flood waters.
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In Elevuka, Ba, Mohammed Abu Riyaz also rescued a man who was stuck in flood waters for three hours.
He added Police and the National Fire Authority need to rescue other people in their area as flood waters continue to rise.
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Peoples’ lives are now at risk as flood waters continue to rise in Ba which is one of the worst affected areas so far.
10 people are now holding on to a branch of a tree in Elevuka Ba. These people were returning home from work.
Sheik Nadeem said his cousin has just called him advising them that they are in danger.
Fire fighters are now trying to rescue some families in Yalalevu, Ba as flood waters are rising.
A resident of Yalalevu Ba, Jagdish Chand said fire fighters are finding it difficult to rescue a couple as flood waters have fully surrounded their house.
Similar situation is being experienced in Votua, Ba.
A resident, Rajeshni Singh said people need to leave their homes now as the situation will get worsen later in the day.
The rescue team led by the National Fire Authority in Ba is unable to access the flooded areas with their fire trucks and now have resorted to inflated boats.
Roads leading into town from Wailailai, Yalalevu and Koronubu are underwater.
Ba town is affected by rising flood waters and the town is inaccessible.
Special Administrator of the Ba Town Council, Arun Prasad said the situation is getting worse and Ba is experiencing heavy rain and strong winds and water levels are rising.
Prasad said people did not expect another flooding and were not prepared.
Ba town is under about two feet of water while the market area is under six feet of water and it is closed to all traffic.
In the Moto area people are moving to high grounds as some of their houses are under water.
Moto and the surrounding areas are under 6 feet of water.
Situation in Nadi:
A mother of two in Korociri, Nadi is crying for help as she is stuck in her house with her two children and other family members.
Zarin said that flood waters have reached up to their chests level and things have started floating in the house.
She said she has put a bench on the dining table which is already on the bed and her children are sitting on it.
She said she is really worried about her children’s safety and does not know what to do.
We have contacted Police advising them that the family needs to be assisted now.
In a separate case, a mother is crying for help in Namaka, Nadi as she is currently stuck with her 1 year old child in a double storey house behind MH Supermarket in Namaka.
The family lives in the bottom flat which is already flooded but they can’t go up to the second floor as the owner has gone overseas and the house is locked.
About 30 people are on the roof of a house in Qeleloa, Nadi as flood waters continue to rise.
About six houses are already under water in Qeleloa.
Resident Jessica Singh said two children aged 3 and 2 years are on the roof with them.
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At least 100 houses are under water in Nasoso, Nadi.
Resident and Justice of Peace Saten Prasad said heavy rain is continuing and the water level is rising.
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Prasad said that they have now opened up the Shiv Temple Hall in Nasoso to cater for anyone who needs shelter.
Meanwhile Nadi businessman Riyaz Ali said this flood is worse than the one they experienced 2 months ago.
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Close to 10 people are still clinging on to a tree in Nadi back Road as flood waters have reached up to their chests.
An eyewitness, Priya told Fijivillage that the tree can fall any minute now.
She said a bus is fully submerged in the flood waters and three cars were also washed away due to strong currents and they could not do anything but look helplessly.
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Priya and her mother have told us that emergency service officials need to come to Nadi Back Road now as some people may be trapped in the bus which is submerged in flood waters.
Fijivillage has informed DISMAC Director Pajiliai Dobui about the situation.
He is now contacting his team to help these people.
Police spokesperson, Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said they are currently at the scene in Nadi Back Road.
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“This is worse than the January flood.”
This is the assessment made by Narewa villager in Nadi, Kaliova Nabulagi in regards to the current flood as 95% of the houses are flooded.
Nabulagi said water has entered the houses and the people affected have moved to Navatulevu church.
He said the danger is that flood waters are still rising.
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Nadi town is like an island as flood waters have surrounded the town.
Nadi Chamber of Commerce President Dr Ram Raju said the water level has reached a critical point.
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Dr Raju added that this flood is worse than the last one they encountered in January.
A family of 7 of Nawaka had to climb on to the roof of their house to escape their flood waters.
Lilive Bogitini and her husband took their 5 children to the roof including a 2 year old child.
Bogitini said they were on the roof from 3am until they were rescued.
Some residents of Nawaka village are currently sheltering at the Nawaka district school while about 50 residents of Naweji-kuma are sheltering at Saint Andrews Primary school.
Meanwhile, Yavusania, Sikituru and Narewa are also flooded.
The Togomasi Bridge is under two feet of water and is closed to all traffic.
Areas that are currently underwater in Nadi include Korociri, Hospital road and the Nadi back road.
Our reporter from Viti FM, Maikeli Radua is currently in Vunayasi and said flood waters are rising in the area.
Situation in Lautoka:
“We need to be rescued.”
These are the words of 30 year old Ashwini Achari of Naviyago Drasa Seaside Lautoka who said they are under about 7 feet of flood waters since 2 this morning and residents are scared to remain in their houses.
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Achari said around 50 people are stuck in their houses as the rising flood waters are stopping them from finding a way out.
A resident of Naviyago, Lautoka is awaiting help as he is stuck inside his flooded house with his family members.
Vimal Krishna Achari told Fijivillage that his house including 8 houses nearby is under 6 feet of flood waters.
He said all their belongings have been washed away and they are suffering a similar fate like the floods in January.
Achari said the situation is so bad that they had to place one of their neighbor who is around 70 years old on a chair and place her on a bed.
They are waiting to be rescued.
Meanwhile, an eyewitness said field forty, Lautoka is flooded and Natabua Bridge is underwater.
Drasa Flats, Matawalu, Vitogo and Vakabuli in Lautoka are also affected by flood waters.
Residents are also without power at the moment and are reporting that flood waters are up to the waist level in certain areas.
Heavy rain is continuing in Lautoka.
Situation in Sigatoka:
Semo village is a ghost town now.
Nabau resident Sitiveni Kunaika said they have opened up their homes as a shelter for the Semo villagers as the village is now under water.
More than 50 houses are affected by flood waters and more than 200 people are taking shelter at Nabau village.
He said the new Semo Bridge is almost under water.
In Cuvu, resident, Sashi Kumar said flood waters are receding.
Kumar said some people are trying to go back home hoping that flood waters will recede so that they can start their cleaning up.
A family, including a five month old baby is stuck in a house in Nayawa, Sigatoka.
A family member, Mrs Reddy said there are more than 30 houses in the area which have at least four feet water in the house.
She said her family has moved upstairs and they are currently taking shelter there.
In Semo, Sigatoka 60 houses are under flood waters.
A resident, Mohammad Asaf said people still standing on the highway looking for shelter adding that more than 300 people are affected.
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Another resident, Sitiveni Kunaika from Nabau Village confirmed that they are getting the people from Semo Village to Nabau village as their only evacuation center in now under water.
More than a hundred villagers of Semo village are sheltering in two houses while Nabau vilagers are assisting Semo villagers and getting them to a safer place by using a boat.
In Navuloa, 110 people have been evacuated to Densen Methodist Bible Institute.
Cuvu back road and all the villagers nearby are all flooded.
Vouwa villagers have been evacuated to Vouwa Methodist Church and the water level is rising.
Semo village in Sigatoka is now looking more like a lake.
A resident, Ashnil Singh said more than 80 percent of the houses have been affected by the flood waters and for some houses only the roofs are visible.
He also said this is the first time they are experiencing such situations and around fifty people are standing on the highway in wet clothes looking at their houses.
He said some people have moved to higher ground while some are taking shelter at a church.
People in Nabau have also moved to higher ground due to continuous heavy rain.
A Nabau villager, Sitiveni Kunaika said that two houses are affected by flood waters.
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In Cuvu Sigatoka, Sashi Kumar say more than 300 people have moved to higher ground.
Kumar said they have to help each other in these areas.
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There is two feet water in Semo, Cuvu, Nayawa village and Vatukarasa in Sigatoka.
Police are also advising people parts of the Queens Highway in Sigatoka are flooded.
It is not advisable to travel to the West due to the flooding in Sigatoka.
There is about two feet flood water in parts of Sigatoka which is affecting the Queens Highway.
A Semo Sigatoka resident, Mohammad Asaf Khan said this is the first time for him to experience such a situation.
People living around Cuvu, Sigatoka area are taking shelter at Cuvu college as the whole area is now under about 4 feet of flood waters.
A resident Sashi Kumar said people are rushing to take shelter at the school.
In Valley road, a low lying area in Sigatoka, more than 500 people have been affected when flood waters started to rise at about 2 this morning.
A man is still stuck on a tree Nadromai, Cuvu Sigatoka.
The man had left for work this morning but had to return when one of the Irish crossings got flooded.
A family of six in Cuvu Sigatoka was rescued by some people this morning as they were the only remaining family who were not able to move out of the house when flood waters started to rise.
Chandra Wati said they were not able to save anything apart from the clothes they are wearing.
She added that they are moving to a relative’s house now.
There is two feet water in Semo, Cuvu, Nayawa village and Vatukarasa in Sigatoka.
Sigatoka police confirm that in Semo village some people are taking shelter on the roof and are waiting for assistance.
In the Moto area people are moving to high grounds as some of their houses are under water.
Moto and the surrounding areas are under 6 feet of water.
Balevuto, Waiwai, Marinatawa and Nadrau bridges are under 6-10 feet of water.
Situation in Rakiraki:
The Advisory Councillor of Qalau, Rakiraki said that the roads in the area is closed to all traffic as it is under three feet of flood waters.
Mahesh Prasad said that close to 500 families are stuck in their houses.
He said that the situation is worsening in the area.
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Prasad said that Korotale road is also under water and closed to all traffic.
Meanwhile, a 35 year old farmer of Burotu in Rakiraki said that some families who are from the farming background are the most affected.
Sanjesh Nand said the current flood has washed away the vegetables and root crops.
Nand said he is currently with other farmers whose houses are underwater, starring at the devastation.
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Tavua Police have confirmed that the Korovou and the Nadarivatu bridge is under 3- 4 feet of flood waters.
Police confirm that the Tagitagi Bridge is also under flood waters.
This makes it harder for them to rescue the nearby villagers in the nearby areas.
It continues to rain heavily in Vanuakula and Nabuna areas and residents are being evacuated to evacuation centers by Police.
Flood waters are rising in Rakiraki town and families have started to move to the evacuation centers which are Rakiraki Muslim School and Vaileka Methodist Church hall.
Provincial Adminstrator Rakiraki, Sitiveni Tavaga said people are being advised to stay indoors and not to walk around the flood affected areas.
Flood prone areas are Vaileka town which is under 4 feet water Naqoro flats, FSC road, Qalau road, Rewasa road, Rakiraki flat are all under water.
Nabuna, Vanuakula and Korovou village in Tavua is currently flooded and people are being evacuated from their houses.
Officer in charge, Joseph Low confirmed their officers are currently doing the rounds at these villages and evacuating people.
Also Yaladro and Nabuna flats are under flood waters.
He said the houses are under about 3 to 4 feet of flood waters and the Nabuna, Vanuakula and Natawa bridges are under flood waters.
Low said Tavua District School, Tavua Primary school and Tavua Muslim School have been opened as evacuation centers and people who are being affected by the floods are requested to move in to the nearest evacuation centers.
It is currently raining heavily in Tavua.
A shop in Rakiraki is currently on fire.
An eyewitness A. Gafoor told Fijivillage that the Variety shop in Rakiraki town is engulfed in flames and it is massive and firefighters are trying to control the fire.
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Gafoor who runs a shop in town said the shops nearby are closed as flood waters have entered the shops.
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The 4 feet flood waters in Rakiraki is expected to rise even further in the next few hours.
That is the confirmation from the Provincial Adminstrator Rakiraki, Sitiveni Tavaga after the assessment made by Police and his officials.
Tavaga said two evacuation centers have been activated for the people of Rakiraki especially those who live near the flood prone areas in town.
The evacuation centers are Rakiraki Muslim School and Vaileka Methodist church.
Vaileka town is still flooded and the market is under 4 feet water and the roads near town are closed to traffic.
Provincial Adminstrator Rakiraki, Sitiveni Tavaga confirmed some roads including Naqoro flat, FSC road, Qalau road, Rewasa road, Rakiraki flat are all under water.
Story by: Fijivillage Reporters
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