Communications down in Lau islands

FIJI – Fiji’s Red Cross has grave concerns for people on the Southern Lau islands of Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa, after communications went down.

Most of Fiji appears to have escaped the worst of Tropical Cyclone Gita a day after it hit Tonga directly with 230kph winds, ripping off roofs and severely damaging churches, a school, homes and government buildings.

However, Fiji’s Southern Lau island group – Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa, about half way between the main islands and Tonga – were hit overnight and have been out of contact since.

Red Cross worker Hannah Butler, who is based in Suva, said it was difficult to know the extent of damage at this point due to communication lines being down.

“It will be a real challenge to get in touch with these groups of islands, but I’m sure that’s something the Fiji Government and Fiji Red Cross will be doing today.

Butler said in Suva, which is further north from where Cyclone Gita was tracking, there was wind and rain but nothing too out-of-the-ordinary for this time of year in Fiji.

As the tropical cyclone skirted Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa all communications were lost.

The medical officer for Fiji’s Southern Lau group said when remote islands lost telephone contact due to Cyclone Gita they lose direct contact with doctors.

Dexter Chute, who is based at Lakeba Hospital, said nursing staff on the at-risk islands of Votoa and Ono-I-Lau relied upon telephone instruction for serious medical cases.

Forecaster Sakeasi Rabitu says the storm tracked south of Fiji’s main island, on the same latitude as Tonga, which suffered a damaging direct hit on Monday night.

He says gale force winds were battering Kadavu and Matuku islands as the cyclone moves westward.

The head of Fiji’s Red Cross says he has grave concerns for people on the Southern Lau islands of Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa, as winds drive storm surges, which can inundate atolls.

Filipe Nainoca says the devastation in Tonga shows just how vulnerable these lower-lying islands are.

“These are atolls and the biggest concern is the surge waves that are being generated by this wind and if it’s going to be there for an extended period of time then we could expect that the impact on the community could be devastating.”

The Director for Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office Anare Leweniqila said the cyclone put the 2500 people living on Ono-I-Lau and Vatoa at risk.

Leweniqila said people in Lau had been told to prepare for the worst. - PNC