‘Destruction hard to comprehend’

SOSO – Humanitarian aid agency Care Australia is helping Fijians in the devastated Soso village in the Yasawa Islands, after the devastating impact of category five Cyclone Winston.

Soso village is “one of the worst affected” villages in the Yasawa Islands, with all houses damaged, and 20 out of 190 houses completely flattened, according to Care Australia’s emergency spokesman Dylan Quinnell.

“The destruction is pretty hard to comprehend. There are no trees with leaves on. All there’s left is what was made of concrete,” he said.

The “utter devastation” is evident in fallen timber, collapsed walls and roofs. The community gardens are flattened, banana trees have been destroyed –leaving locals desperate for food.

Quinnell praised local tourist resorts for their efforts to send food to damaged areas around Fiji. However, with Soso village being remote, it has not yet received much of the needed aid.

Next to food, the community urgently needs covered toilets for women and shelter repairs.

The local primary school was one of the buildings left roofless. It will take months to restore it.

Despite the hardship, the locals are trying to keep their spirits high by helping each other and sharing food.

“Fijian people are amazing. They tell stories about how they’ve lost houses, but they do it with a smile on their face,” Quinnell said. “They are extremely resilient people. They have already started repairs.”

Quinnell estimated it would take a few months to rebuild the community. In the mean time, the locals are staying with their family and friends, supporting each other.

- ABC