4 February, 2026, 9:27 am Central - 29°C Rain

Galoa villagers in Bua in urgent need of clean water, food and tarpaulins

Galoa villagers in Bua in urgent need of clean water, food and tarpaulins

By Navitalai Naivalurua
21/12/2020
Galoa Island in Bua. [Image: Ratu Sireli]

Galoa Village Headman in Bua Simione Makosoi says they are in urgent need of clean water, food and tarpaulins.

Makosoi says they were prepared for this cyclone, but the destructive winds damaged most of the houses including their church with only almost 10 homes remain standing with minimal damages.

He says they are thankful no lives were lost after the monstrous cyclone wreaked havoc in the Northern Division.

Makosoi says villagers that took shelter in the church remained there until the weather calmed down and they organised a team to move them to the evacuation centre.

He adds five villagers were injured.

Makosoi says Galoa Island Primary School also sustained damages.

He says they have started cleaning up and rebuilt some of the houses that were partially damaged.

Makosoi says what they experienced during TC Yasa is something like a judgement day because when it hit the island, it brought destructive winds and heavy rain that they have never experienced before.

Related Stories;

Batinikama couple repair their house with remaining material

By Priteshni Nand

A couple from Batinikama, Labasa whose house was damaged during Tropical Cyclone Yasa have repaired their house with the remaining material and are staying in their house.

Raksha Singh and her family were stuck in a corner of their home after almost half of their house was blown away due to strong winds.

Singh says their families have provided them with some assistance and they have managed to buy some groceries which they are surviving on now.

Singh says they have been drying up their furniture and clothes since Friday and have finished up their cleaning.

South Taveuni Primary and Secondary school safe - Ravinesh Goundar

By Navitalai Naivalurua

Headteacher South Taveuni Primary School, Ravinesh Goundar says the extent of damages at the school was not as extensive as Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.

Goundar says both the primary and secondary school did not receive any serious damages.


He says they are currently fixing the school and it will be ready in 2 weeks.

The Headteacher says with so much news about the destruction left by TC Yasa in Vanua Levu, they hope that assistance will be taken to those people severely affected.

Naroi villagers replant and replace damaged root crops

By Iva Danford

Naroi villagers in Moala, Lau are now eating whatever is left in their farms as the damaging winds during Tropical Cyclone Yasa uprooted and destroyed most of their root crops and yaqona farms.

Josaia Besetimoala of Naroi says none of the houses were destroyed but their source of food has been badly affected.

Besetimoala says the villagers have started farming and replacing their damaged crops and hope they have enough until their next harvest.

He says with the government assistance they are hoping to receive, they can continue what they have already started.

WAF says their team from Suva left with pipes and fittings to North to fix the water infrastructure quickly

By Priteshni Nand , Mohammed Feroz

The Water Authority of Fiji says their team from Suva have left with pipes, fittings and other necessities to the Northern Division to help their team members from Labasa, Savusavu, Seaqaqa and other areas to fix the damages as quickly as they can.

They say assessments are being carried out to determine how many people are affected and they aim to restore water services to people as soon as possible.

WAF says the water carting trucks are delivering water for now.

The Director of National Disaster Management Office, Vasiti Soko says the Water Authority’s quick fix team has left for Vanua Levu to assist the teams that are already on the ground to mobilise water supply in affected areas as soon as possible.

Soko says WAF teams have also left with additional water tanks to assist these people.

She had said that the area of concern is Bua and they understand that people in Labasa have water now as water carting trucks are deployed to the affected areas.

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says most of the people in the Northern Division are in need of utilities and in particular water and they will ensure that they are given access to this quickly.

Sayed-Khaiyum says he has visited a lot of people who are asking for water and once people have access to water and other utilities, they can start rebuilding their homes.

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