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Australia helps Fiji to rebuild after devastating floods

Australia is helping to replenish much needed emergency supplies and restore access to essential services in Fiji after devastating floods which have affected more than 319 000 people.

Fiji has experienced flooding in low lying areas since 21 January with extensive flooding in Nadi, Lautoka and Ba. On 26 January, the Fiji interim government declared a state of natural disaster for parts of the Western Division.

The Fiji National Disaster Management Office has confirmed that 11 people have died while thousands more have been evacuated from their homes. Two health facilities, 17 schools and countless farms have been heavily damaged and the agriculture sector estimates 55 per cent of export crops have been destroyed. So far, Fiji officials estimate the damage amounts to around $16.5 million.

Australia provided $270,000 in immediate financial assistance on 26 January to enable the Red Cross to assess damage and provide essential water, medicine, clothing and shelter to affected families.

On 13 February, Australia announced further funding to help repair damaged schools, health centres and farms, and to replenish UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO) emergency supplies.

As reports of increasing cases of communicable diseases emerge, Australia remains on standby to provide and distribute vaccines to help prevent a typhoid outbreak.

Australia's assistance package will make a difference to the lives of those affected by the floods.

Australian aid has been instrumental in providing immediate assistance and will make a solid contribution to the recovery effort in Fiji by:

  • helping more than 4,400 students and teachers to return to schools
  • assisting more than 30 farmers to restore their businesses and improve drainage to prevent future flooding
  • supporting access to health services for more than 3,000 people in the Western Division.

Australia's total contribution to the relief and recovery effort in Fiji is $1.14 million. Assistance for recovery includes:

  • providing essential relief supplies to the Fiji Red Cross Society ($270,000)
  • replenishing emergency relief supplies distributed by UNICEF and WHO ($240,000)
  • repairing 17 schools and two health facilities, running a media awareness campaign on avoiding communicable diseases like typhoid, and paying school fees to enable 1,500 students in the most affected areas to return to school ($530,000)
  • restoring damaged agriculture by providing seedlings to rehabilitate export crops and improving drainage to prevent flooding in future ($100,000).

More information Australia's aid program in Fiji