The interim Government has taken great efforts to assist the flood victims in the Northern Divisions.
In an exclusive interview, the Deputy Director for Fijian Affairs, Heritage, Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Mukesh Prasad informed the Ministry of Information that the recent victims of the first flood received the assistance from the government through the distribution of the food, rations and cash.
"Food ration was distributed to evacuation centres in the Northern Division in the first flood. One month food ration was distributed to the affected people in Cakaudrove whilst two additional months to people in Vaturova Tikina in the Northern Division," said Mr. Prasad.
Mr. Prasad said that the cash grants have also been disbursed to those in the Northern Division who suffered losses to their crops and household/school items and partial damage/completely destroyed houses.
In addition he told that the cash grants paid to the victims were as follows:
Category 1 - $300.00 to farmers whose crops sustained damage.
Category 2 - $400.00 to victims who had suffered household damage.
Category 3 - $1,500.00 to victims whose house had been partly damaged,
Category4 - $5000.00 to victims whose house had been completely damaged
A cash grant of $300,000 to Labasa Town Council for the rehabilitation of Council's infrastructures.
Mr Prasad said the interim Government has also allocated $600,000 for repair and maintenance of rural infrastructures in the affected areas including resting some of the villages on higher grounds where they will not be affected by floods in future.
Apart from all these, he said that the Department is also responsible for co-coordinating disaster management activities nation wide.
"This includes emergency response services, risk reduction and relief and rehabilitation and awareness programmes."
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