After years of battling floodwaters and waterlogged homes, ten families from Vuniniudrovu Village, Calia, Naitasiri, are finally moving to safer ground.
Turaga ni koro Apete Vodivodi warned that climate change and soil erosion along the Waimanu River pose a serious threat to the village.
“The Waimanu surrounds the village, and we fear that the excessive erosion that occurs every time it rains may redirect the river, disrupting our water supply,” he said.
“Every time it starts to rain heavily, it is our signal to run to higher ground, evading floodwaters.
“If the river shifts, infrastructure used to pump water to the public could become stranded.
“The Waimanu Pump is located opposite the tip of the village, and if the river is diverted, it would disrupt the water supply to Vuniniudrovu and the greater Waila area.”
Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, officially inaugurated the relocation initiative yesterday.
“This village was selected because it is located in hazardous areas, called red zones,” Ms Tabuya said.
“Here at Vuniniudrovu village, they have the river that wraps around the village, and so when it floods from both areas, they have nowhere to go.”
Vuniniudrovu is one of three high-risk communities chosen by the Government for urgent relocation. Supported by the Global Climate Finance Facility, the project aims to provide long-term safety for families while demonstrating Fiji’s commitment to proactive climate adaptation measures.
