MAHEN Chand of Tova in Nakorotubu, Ra, still becomes emotional when recalling the devastation caused by Cyclone Winston. A lifelong farmer, he says nothing compares to the pain of watching neighbours, friends, and family struggle to pick up the pieces left behind.
“I lost my house, my brother lost his house, and my neighbours lost their homes too,” said Mr Chand.
“But we are still alive. Others did not make it, and their family will always remember that.”
He described Nakorotubu as one of the hardest-hit areas in Ra – and in the entire country.
“We had people coming through our road for months, years still trying to fix the damage.”
Remembering the night the Category 5 cyclone struck, Mr Chand said eight people were trapped in his wooden house, praying to survive.
“Everybody was crying—even me.
“I did not care if I lost everything. All I cared about was that everybody was safe and alive.”
