Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston ravaged through the islands of Fiji last weekend.
The Category 5 storm clocks in at a whopping 155 kilometers per hour with winds that reached 184 km/h. At the height of the storm, 80% of Fiji's 900,000 residents lost power. Eventually the government declared a state of emergency on February 20,2016 and a 6:00PM curfew was enacted in order to avoid further casualties.
Last Monday, the nation has begun the cleanup following one of the most powerful storms Fiji has ever experienced. According to data, 150 homes were destroyed along Fiji's Eastern Division and a whopping $39.8 million in loses has been recorded by the thriving sugar industry in the area.
The Tropical Cyclone has taken the live of at least 28 people and currently more than 10,000 Fijians are seeking shelter in evacuation centers. Amongst the people who passed away is Atunaisa Raralevu III. According to Raralevu's uncle, Atunaisa died after he tried to save fifteen people trapped in a house during the thick of the cyclone.
"He had just returned from the farm and had already saved the woman, her three children and another girl and came to me for a hammer to try and save another 15 who were in that house, that was the last time I saw him," explained Atunaisa Raralevu II.
The country's prime minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, has since addressed his ravaged nation. Bainimarama urged citizens of Fiji to remain strong and united in the midst of the disaster.
"This is a time of sorrow, but it will also be a time of action," Bainimarama said. "We will stand united in the face of this disaster."
This was not the first time Fiji suffered through the effects of a massive storm. In 2012, the country faced the wrath of Cyclone Evan. Total damage from the 2012 storm amounted to $108.8 million.
