Fiji: Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa Situation Report No. 02 (as of 20 December 2020)

Highlights

• Assessment of damages in affected areas has begun through aerial surveillance as well as teams on the ground;

• Aid, including food rations, is arriving in cyclone affected communities;

• Restoration of critical infrastructure and essential services main operational focus;

• First small-scale deliveries of humanitarian assistance are taking place in various locations;

• Some 7,700 people still in evacuation centers, however, majority has returned back to their homes;

• 04 persons have been confirmed dead due to the cyclone; one person is still missing.

Situation Overview

TC Yasa, now a Cat 1, has left Fiji territory and is now south-west of Tonga. Restoration of critical infrastructure and essential services are the main operational focus of the authorities as well as the safe return of evacuees to their homes. Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) is working on repairing the grid and re-establishing power in all affected areas. In the Central Division, practically all power is restored; in the Eastern Division currently only 15%; in the Northern Division, Taveuni is the most advanced with 55%, other areas like Labasa, Seaqaqa, Dreketi, and Savusavu, the range is between 0 and 4%, in the Western Division it ranges from 15% in Rakiraki to 100% in Korolevu. The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) reports that in the Central Divison 95% of water supply is restored; in the Northern Division: Labasa 0%, Vunimanuca Borehole 0%, Taveuni 90%; in the Western Division: Rakiraki 100%, Sigatoka to Keiyasi 0%. No information is yet available from the Eastern Division (Maritime Islands – Vanuabalavu, Lakeba). A total of 124 government officials and other agencies personnel (from the Water Authority of Fiji, Fiji Met, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management/NDMO, the Ministry of Forestry, the Fiji Red Cross Society, the Fiji Council of Social Services, and from WFP) have been deployed and left for Vanu Levu on 20 Dec to conduct assessments and assist with the distribution of 10,000 food rations. Initial Damage Assessments (IDAs) by authorities as well as humanitarian organizations, such as the Fiji Red Cross Society and others, have begun and first distributions of relief items have started. On 19 and 20 Dec, planes provided by the New Zealand and Australian Air Force conducted aerial assessments over Vanua Levu and Koro as well as over the Eastern Division. Data will be available shortly. Preliminary information indicates that some areas were severely impacted while others were almost untouched, showing a very uneven pattern of destruction. 04 persons have been confirmed dead by the authorities: 03 persons died from collapsing walls, 01 person drowned. One person is still missing. As of today, there were 7,731 persons in 183 evacuation centres, the vast majority (6,313 persons) in the Northern Division (in 133 Evacuation Centres). Police, RFMF and Health personnel are verifying active ECs and assessing situations for safe return home.