$100 million damage after TC Harold

The damages sustained during TC Harold to different sectors stands at around $100 million.

Minister for Disaster Management, Inia Seruiratu has confirmed this in a press conference this morning.

He says homes, roads and agriculture sustained major damages.

Seruiratu says agricultural damage stands at $27 million.

Seruiratu confirms that over 186,000 people have been affected by TC Harold where people's homes have been destroyed/suffered minor damages, there was agricultural loss and houses were affected by flooding.

Seruiratu also confirms that government has so far spent about $6 million in response to TC Harold.

He says $3.6 million was spent in the first phase where government had to hire private vessels because of the Suva lockdown and they had to deploy vessels to maritime areas from outside Suva and this was a costly exercise.

Seruiratu says in the first five days after TC Harold, teams were deployed to all major divisions of the country and the focus was on assessment and life-saving exercises and distribution of essential items.

He says around $2 million was used in the second phase and this involved delivery of food and non food items.

The Minister says 65 percent of food items went to the Eastern Division, 30 percent to the Central Division while the rest went to the West and the North.

Seruiratu says the 30 days of State of Natural Disaster after TC Harold finished yesterday.

Seruiratu adds that the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama will make an announcement this Friday and will give further details regarding TC Harold.