OCHA Flash Updates on Category 2 TC Zena

<via ReliefWeb; 17 hours ago>

Third OCHA Flash Update on Category 2 TC Zena

Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu has been spared a second major disaster in as many months with Tropical Cyclone Zena weakening to Category 2 system and quickly moving towards Tonga. In the early hours of the morning, the cyclone passed under the southern island of Kadavu, after bringing heavy falls and gusty winds to Viti Levu’s already rain-soaked south-west corner. The cyclone weakened rapidly as it slipped further south and away from the capital Suva, where there was little impact.

The heavy rain meant it was a miserable night for the thousands of Fijians who still remain in transitional accommodation after Tropical Cyclone Winston in February. More than 8000 people took shelter in evacuation centres, mostly in the Western Division, as the flooding and cyclone reached their peak. The weather has now dramatically improved in most areas and flood waters are starting to subside. Health and hygiene concerns remain including the risk of mosquito and water-borne diseases. Food security is a concern with the heavy rain badly affecting the country’s vegetable growing areas and washing away replacement seeds and seedlings planted after TC Winston.

The overnight nationwide curfew has now been lifted but schools remain closed. Most roads are open this morning but there are potholes in many areas and authorities are working to quickly clear flood debris. The ongoing State of Natural Disaster since TC Winston means the National Disaster Management Office still has its central coordination system activated and is ready to respond to needs as they are identified today. A Pacific Humanitarian Team Meeting was convened yesterday and clusters are on standby to respond. The Food Security Cluster will meet today to discuss plans for further seed distributions to replace those which have washed away.

<via ReliefWeb; 6 hours ago>

Fourth and final OCHA Flash Update on Category 1 TC Zena

Category 1 Tropical Cyclone Zena has passed across Tonga without causing any significant damage and is weakening as it moves back out to sea. 

In Fiji, authorities report that three people died and there was damage to essential services in the Western Division during flooding which started before the arrival of TC Zena. Flood waters are subsiding in most affected areas and roads are now mostly passable. More than 12,000 people took shelter in 244 evacuation centres as a result of the flooding and the cyclone, most of them in the Western Division. The Ministry Agriculture has begun assessments to determine the overall impact of TC Zena and the preceding floods. The Food Security Cluster reports that the country’s key vegetable growing area, the Sigatoka Valley, was badly flooded. Agricultural rehabilitation work in the Northern and Western Divisions after TC Winston is feared to have been completely lost in the flooding. FAO is purchasing emergency seed supplies abroad and hopes to bring them quickly to Fiji. Health and hygiene concerns remain, including the risk of mosquito and water-borne diseases. Schools will reopen tomorrow.