Late Warnings for Cyclone Cliff

[Grant]

VILLAGERS in Udu Point on Vanua Levu claim the Meteorology Department only issued a cyclone alert after heavy rain and strong winds had raged through the northern division.

The villagers want the weather station to upgrade its system and workers' skills to ensure future warnings are heard hours or days before a cyclone. Acting director of the department, Alipate Waqaicelua said he would reply to the allegations on Tuesday as he was in Suva. The director of the department, Rajendra Prasad is out of the country.

Wainigadru Village headman Netani Tuwei claims strong winds and heavy rains brought in by Cyclone Cliff started at about 10am on Thursday and villagers did not hear a warning before that.

Cyclone alert came late, villagers claim - Fiji Times Online

[Grant]

The Fiji Cross Red Cross Emergency Response team has revealed that many areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Cliff in the North remain inaccessible. Disaster Coordinator Vuli Gauna said Red Cross teams are unable to get into the affected areas as yet due to the a number of landslides that has restricted or cut off access to these places and they are concerned over the welfare of the villages who remain stranded.

He said the Emergency teams in Labasa and Savusavu are on standby and coordinating with the Commissioner Northern's office and the provincial administrators in Macuata and Cakaudrove. He said Red Cross is concerned that team is unable to go to Udu and Tunuloa areas however hopes that a team will try going to these areas today to give out relief supplies.

Meanwhile, a team of officials from the Commissioner Northern's office, DISMAC and District officers are attempting to visit areas in Tukavesi, Tawake and Udu Point from this morning to access the damages caused by Tropical Cyclone Cliff.

Emergency Teams Can’t Access Cyclone Affected Areas in North