OPINION By Ethan Donnell UNICEF Fiji is reeling from one of the worst storms to hit the Pacific in fifty years after Cyclone Winston tore across the country this weekend.

The full picture of the storm’s impact will only emerge in the weeks to come, and the longer term effects will be difficult to quantify even then.

One thing is for certain; children will be hit hardest.

Early estimates are that at least 150,000 children will feel the impact of Cyclone Winston, whether through direct consequences for their family or through the impact on someone they know.

The immediate aftermath of a cyclone is particularly terrifying for a child. They may have lost their homes and possessions and in some cases, may even have lost family members.

A child may be hurt or require medical assistance. Children are especially vulnerable to the physical safety hazards among scattered debris.

Families and children who have been displaced must be assisted to find homes or safe spaces again quickly.

Children who are alone, and who find themselves without caregivers, are particularly vulnerable to a range of risks including potential exploitation, abuse and even trafficking.

A child’s development suffers when they can’t go to school. The faster children get back to school, back to the normality of regular activities, the easier they can deal with psychological trauma, and the faster they will be able to recover.

The sad truth is that when disaster strikes schools are often destroyed or used as evacuation centres.

Some schools in Fiji are being used as civil defence centres
and early reports suggest
others have been completely destroyed.

This makes finding alternative spaces where children can feel safe to play and learn so important.

Almost one year after Cyclone Pam, there are children in some Vanuatu villages that still attend school in tents. It can take a long time for communities to rebuild, which means establishing even makeshift structures important.

Lack of clean water or sanitation is especially bad for children.

Cyclones can destroy sewage systems and other infrastructure, which in turn can severely compromise clean drinking water and proper sanitation.

It is quite common to see children with gastrointestinal infections and diarrhoea from drinking dirty water in these cases.

Aid organisations must be supported to rebuild these systems at the earliest possible stage.

Often the best protection for infants and young children can be the nutrients and antibodies in breast milk.

When a cyclone hits, mothers must be given adequate support and privacy to ensure they feel safe to breastfeed their young ones.

The long term psychological traumas after a cyclone hit children hardest.

The trauma that comes from spending the night sheltering from a cyclone can be hard for an adult to process – for a child it is that much more difficult.

The psychological scars that come from simply from seeing your parents shuttering the windows, tying the roof down with ropes to prevent it from flying away, can be huge.

Children need support and counsel to cope with these traumas, not just in the weeks after a cyclone, but in the months and years to follow.

- UNICEF