My Worst Nightmare
Fiji Red Cross Society
Nearly 9,000 individuals have been forced from their homes by heavy rains and flooding in the western and central divisions of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. According to weather officials, more major storms are set to impact the Pacific Islands.
Five people have already lost their lives, with two additional unconfirmed fatalities, and thousands more have sought safety in more than 100 evacuation centres on Viti Levu. The Fiji Red Cross Society has played a vital role in planning for and meeting the humanitarian needs of many of those displaced during this emergency.
"The Fiji Red Cross Society has taken a proactive role in monitoring this dangerous situation and providing the necessary assistance to affected populations," says the society’s disaster coordinator Vuli Gauna. "Assessments are underway, and we've already sent our emergency response teams into impacted communities with essential relief supplies for families most affected by the floods. If more assistance is needed, we stand ready to help."
Emergency teams
In the coming days, distributions of relief supplies will likely include clothing, cooking items, eating utensils, water collection containers, and tools for temporary shelter such as tarpaulins. The Fiji Red Cross Society has 19 pre-positioned containers ready for distributions of emergency items.
“We work as an important part of a mandated coordinated disaster response network in Fiji,” says Fiji Red Cross Society director general Alison Cupit. “We are based in communities throughout the islands and our volunteers work with the government and other partners on both preparedness and response to significant disasters. This collaboration is an essential component of our ability to serve those who need our help.”
In a demonstration of their focus on preparedness, Fiji Red Cross Society volunteers began encouraging families to heed evacuation warnings as early as 8 January, two days before the flooding began, and
Nearly 9,000 individuals have been forced from their homes by heavy rains and flooding in the western and central divisions of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. According to weather officials, more major storms are set to impact the Pacific Islands.
Five people have already lost their lives, with two additional unconfirmed fatalities, and thousands more have sought safety in more than 100 evacuation centres on Viti Levu. The Fiji Red Cross Society has played a vital role in planning for and meeting the humanitarian needs of many of those displaced during this emergency.
"The Fiji Red Cross Society has taken a proactive role in monitoring this dangerous situation and providing the necessary assistance to affected populations," says the society’s disaster coordinator Vuli Gauna. "Assessments are underway, and we've already sent our emergency response teams into impacted communities with essential relief supplies for families most affected by the floods. If more assistance is needed, we stand ready to help."
Emergency teams
In the coming days, distributions of relief supplies will likely include clothing, cooking items, eating utensils, water collection containers, and tools for temporary shelter such as tarpaulins. The Fiji Red Cross Society has 19 pre-positioned containers ready for distributions of emergency items.
“We work as an important part of a mandated coordinated disaster response network in Fiji,” says Fiji Red Cross Society director general Alison Cupit. “We are based in communities throughout the islands and our volunteers work with the government and other partners on both preparedness and response to significant disasters. This collaboration is an essential component of our ability to serve those who need our help.”
In a demonstration of their focus on preparedness, Fiji Red Cross Society volunteers began encouraging families to heed evacuation warnings as early as 8 January, two days before the flooding began, and