Attachments
Appeal history
20 February 2016: Tropical Cyclone Winston makes landfall in Fiji as a category 5 cyclone. The Government of Fiji declares a State of Emergency.
23 February 2016: CHF 317,459 was allocated from IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support Fiji Red Cross Society in providing immediate relief response to affected people.
29 February 2016: The IFRC Emergency Appeal for CHF 7 million is launched to assist 38,500 people over 12 months.
12 March 2016: Some 24,000 people are reached with emergency relief supplies. The Government of Fiji extends the State of Emergency to 19 April in areas most severely affected.
28 April 2016: Based on more detailed needs assessment information, the emergency appeal is revised upward to CHF 7.09 million to assist 50,000 people for 12 months.
Planning is currently ongoing to revise this appeal again given the recent assessment findings, the evolving context and funding available. The revised appeal document is anticipated later in 2016.
Background
Between 20 and 21 February, Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston swept through the Fiji Islands as a Category 5 storm with wind gusts up to 325 km/hr, and is estimated to be one of the most severe cyclones ever in the South Pacific. The Fiji government reported TC Winston had affected over 350,000 people (or some 40 per cent of the population) across all four of Fiji’s administrative divisions. On 7 April, TC Zena struck Fiji, causing significant flooding in the Western Division already affected by TC Winston, compounding the impact on houses, crops and livelihoods of communities.
As of 15 April 2016, government figures reported 44 people dead, and 32,000 houses damaged or destroyed due to the cyclones. Water supply, power, health and educational services and infrastructure were significantly damaged as well as 229 schools, health centres and other public buildings. Farming and fishing communities have been significantly impacted.
Under this IFRC appeal, contributions have been received from partner national societies including American Red Cross, Australian Red Cross/Australian government, British Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross/Canadian government, Hong Kong Branch of the Red Cross Society of China, Danish Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross Society, Red Cross of Monaco, Netherlands Red Cross, New Zealand Red Cross, Singapore Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross/Swiss government. Contributions have also been received from the Government of Estonia, Government of Italy, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the United States Agency for International Development Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and private donors.