The government will soon start focusing on rebuilding homes destroyed by Cyclone Winston.
National Disaster Management Office Director Akapusi Tuifagalele said their current focus is to distribute food rations to the affected areas and to work with other partners to ensure that temporary shelter is provided to the worst affected families.
He said they are also focusing on rebuilding schools and health facilities before moving to building other structures.
The government has already called for expressions of interest from reputable construction firms for construction based on pre‑designed standard 7.2 metre x 4.8 metre houses with attached toilet, bathroom and wash area classified as the Rural Housing Scheme 2 Design by the Ministry of National Disaster Management.
The scope of works will include general construction of new houses as per the approved designs with tentative bill of quantities for the affected locations from Tropical Cyclone Winston.
The contractor will be required to mobilise as soon as approval is given.
Following the current assessments, specific locations and the number of units in each location will be provided to the contractors.
The expression period closed last Friday.
Tuifagalele said the total number of destroyed houses stands at 9,133 while 15,771 houses were damaged.
