VAIVAI, Saru residents in Lautoka and Flametree staff members were forced to clear a large rain tree that blocked a bridge and cut off access to their community during heavy rain on Tuesday.
Local resident Jay Chand, who has lived in the area for 69 years, said the tree had originally washed down from upstream during a major flood last year and remained beside a nearby sugarcane field.
“Even at about 7pm on Monday night, the community members started cutting bits off the fallen tree just to clear the road,” he said.
While residents performed initial clearing on Monday night, contractors from Flame Tree arrived on Tuesday to clear the debris. Mr Chand credited the prompt response to the advisory councillor.
The bridge is the sole access point for approximately 300 people living in the village.
He attributed the recurring issue to a lack of responsibility by those living upstream.
“People living up there, they just cut the tree and left it beside the road and when flood waters rose, they pushed the tree onto the bridge, blocking our access.”
In addition to bridge blockages, the 69-year-old said road conditions continued to affect the community’s livelihood.
“When there’s a big rain, then you can’t deliver sugarcane and the road gets bad but the Flametree boys did do a good job clearing the road.”
