Villagers of Yasawa-i-rara will rely on the newly built houses as their evacuation centre tonight after seeing huge waves crashing on their beach as Tropical Cyclone Mal approaches Fiji.
Village headman Naelesoni Toqitoqi says members of their village are taking precautionary measures and with the assistance of the district nurse, they were able to relocate 12 of their elders to a house that will be used as their evacuation centre.
Toqitoqi says the 115 villagers are well-briefed on the situation and children have also been told what to do next if Tropical Cyclone Mal brings tidal waves.
He says canned food has been prepared at the evacuation centre with crops that can be used for 3 days.
The village headman says they went through cyclones in the past years and have lost most of their strong houses that used to be their previous evacuation centres.
Tonight, they hope the newly built homes will take care of them as they focus on Cyclone Mal.
He says the request to construct a new evacuation centre was sent to the previous Government.
They are still waiting for the government of the day to assist them in providing a new emergency shelter.
Meanwhile, TC Mal is also likely to intensify into a category 3 system as it approaches the Fiji Group tonight.
The Nadi Weather Office says a Gale Warning remains in force for Rotuma, the Western half of Vanua Levu [Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu], Eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group.
A Strong Wind Warning remains in force for the rest of Fiji.
A Heavy Rain Warning remains in force for the whole of Fiji.
A Flash Flood Alert is in force for flood-prone, small streams and low-lying areas across Viti Levu.
The centre of Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Mal is located about 340 kilometres west-northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara or about 390 kilometres northwest of Nadi.
Read More here: https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Tropical-Cyclone-warnings-in-place-for-Fiji-tonight-TC-Mal-likely-to-intensify-into-a-category-3-system-8frx54/
