Cyclone Winston

Cyclone Winston passed to the north of the Vava'u island group last week and while it caused just minor damage to infrastructure crops were more severely affected.

A patrol boat carrying the first relief supplies arrived in Vava'u on Wednesday night.

The president of the Lautoka Cane Producers Association said they have lost up to 80 percent of this year's crop.

Parbindra Singh said he expects this figure will rise because many areas have yet to be assessed.

Mr Singh said in some parts of west Viti Levu farmers have lost their entire crop.

"Basically there will be no crop in Penang and Ra association, that is the Raki Raki association but as far as the Lautoka mill is concerned we might have thirty percent of cane, maximum."

This is in a direct response to TC Winston which hit the Fiji Islands late on Saturday. 

Digicel Pacific’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Murphy said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the communities affected in Fiji and the wider Digicel family stands ready to assist where possible. We had been tracking the progress of Cyclone Winston and are now activating the communications recovery plan that was in place. This includes working with our Pacific neighbour’s, and our valued partners to provide heavily discounted calling to and from Fiji”.

Minister for National Disaster Management Office, Inia Seruiratu said one person is still missing.

Meanwhile a 10 month old baby is reported missing in Koro Island in the Eastern Division.

“The warmer the sea-surface temperature, the stronger a tropical cyclone can get,” Bob Henson, a meteorologist and climate blogger at Weather Underground, told Al Jazeera in an email. 

“Sea-surface temperatures have been especially warm this year across much of the tropical Pacific, largely as a result of the current El Niño on top of the long-term warming,” Henson said.

The storm came close to Vava'u twice last week before increasing in intensity and hitting Fiji.

Masina Talakai said teams were out compiling a full report on the damage to homes and crops.

Earlier assessments said 10 houses had been destroyed with 200 more left damaged.

ANZ CEO Pacific & CEO Fiji Vishnu Mohan said: “This is one of the worst cyclones to hit Fiji destroying many towns and villages as well as damaging vital infrastructure. It will take a long time for Fiji to fully recover from this disaster and we want our customers to know that we are here ready to support them.”

ANZ’s customer assistance package includes:

• suspension of all home loan, personal loan and small loan repayments for 60 days;

More than 2000 families have been affected losing everything when Cyclone Winston hit the island on Saturday.

Currently, Fiji Military personnel are loading emergency supplies for the island.

Military personnel have been deployed for eight days on the island.

Meanwhile, Fiji's regional partner countries say they'll be guided by Suva over how best they can provide help in the wake of Cyclone Winston.

Melanie Ogle, a New Zealander with Red Cross in Suva says Fiji Red Cross is a strong organisation and is already responding to the damage caused by Cyclone Winston. 

“Over 300 Fiji Red Cross staff and volunteers of have so far been mobilised to support at-risk communities and people in evacuation centres. Volunteers are trained in emergency response and propositioned relief aid was on hand.”

Red Cross has enough emergency relief stock prepositioned across Fiji to support 12,500 people.

The funding package will be a rapid release of pre-positioned stores and food items to assist people who remain in evacuation centres.

The supplies will give communities access to safe drinking water and basic hygiene for those who have lost houses and remain displaced.