Basic food supplies and agricultural produce for villagers of Doi Village on Doi Island in Ono-i-Lau are fast running out and estimated to last until the coming week.
Matured plantations of staple crops and fruit trees were uprooted and destroyed on the Wednesday night as Tropical Cyclone Harold made its unwelcome presence known in the Fiji Group.
Villagers have gathered whatever they can save from their devastated farms — cassava, yams, breadfruit, coconuts; all leafy vegetables were destroyed.
The shelves of the village canteen are now bare, and will be prolonged with the ban on maritime travel — part of nationwide COVID-19 pandemic containment efforts.
Doi Village School headteacher Mosese Rokotavo told The Fiji Times via Facebook Messenger that they had run out of sugar, rice, flour and tinned stuff used to supplement their daily meals; and now they have had to make use of damaged crops before it rots.
“The boat comes here once in a month and now with the ban on maritime travel, we’re not sure when we can restock our supplies,” Mr Rokotavo said.
“Our kakana dina (rootcrops) — uto, tavioka, uvi — have been destroyed.”
Mr Rokotavo said drinking water was not a problem because every household owned a water tank and they stored rainwater.
Solar panels were not destroyed so they are still able to have lighting.
He said they started to experience strong winds and rain about 6pm on Wednesday, it strengthened by 9pm, and it was at its peak at 11.30pm.
“Qai 11.30pm, sa qai duatani duadua na kaukauwa ni cagi, lako vata kei na uca, me rauta ni tolu na yauwa (At 11.30pm, the strength of the wind was like no other, and it came with the rain, and it went on for about three hours).”
Nine of the 22 families lost their homes.
The affected families are now billeted in four evacuation centres — including three classrooms, and spread out well to ensure there were less than 20 people in a room in line with COVID-19 containment efforts.
There were no reports of injuries, except that they had to rescue a family later who had hidden under their bed, unscathed, when strong winds blew off the roof of their home.