The people of Waiqanake village in Lami outside Suva were surprised to receive the news that there was a tsunami threat to Fiji from about 2am this morning.
RNZ reported a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck south-east of New Caledonia’s Loyalty Islands early in the morning and a tsunami warning was in place for several countries.
Turaga-ni-koro of Waiqanake village, Semi Suvenakama, 57, said no one in his village knew that there was tsunami threat to Fiji.
“In Suva they have installed Tsunami warning siren towers but here in the village we do not have that equipment,” said Mr Suvenakama.
“We follow our own traditional warning system that has been followed from generation to generation.
“When we see all seabirds flying towards inland, we know that there is something wrong in the sea.
“There was no such signs like that this morning when we woke up.”
Mr Suvenakama said things were normal in his village when people woke up this this morning.
“It was all normal, we couldn’t feel anything.
“The villagers continued with their normal routine going out to the sea to collect seafood.
“No one even came to alert us on the tsunami warning.”
