Seven months after Tropical Cyclone Harold swept through the country, Aca Tikomaimalea is still living in a tent given by Australia Aid.
Her Vatoa Island home was destroyed by the storm and efforts to rebuild or temporarily fix her leaking roof had been unsuccessful.
“When the cyclone hit, it completely tore off the roof from our house,” the 66-year-old said.
“With the money I earned from selling mats, I managed to get a few more pieces of roofing iron but despite my best efforts, it still leaks.”
She said she preferred to live in the tent with her sister because her house leaked “uncontrollably”. During a visit to the southern Lau Group last week, The Fiji Times noted many people were still living in tents.
National Disaster Management Office director Vasiti Soko said a paper was being tabled internally with the Housing and Forestry ministries and this would be presented to Cabinet for approval.
