Police and security personnel will be designated at every evacuation centre across the country.
This assurance was given by National Disaster Management Office (NDRMO) director Napolioni Boseiwaqa in response to media questions regarding safety at evacuation centres.
Mr Boseiwaqa said an evacuation centre management plan was already in place, with designated personnel responsible for overseeing evacuees, alongside a police presence at all centres.
“Procedures are also established to respond to incidents, including ensuring the safety of victims and carrying out necessary investigations,” Mr Boseiwaqa said.
“But also safety measures at evacuation centres include considerations such as spacing, partitions and gender segregation, which are managed by designated authorities on the ground.”
His comments follow concerns raised about a past incident in Macuata, where a 10-year-old girl was raped by her uncle at an evacuation centre during Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
The rapist, who was in his early 20s at the time, was later convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in 2021.
