MORE than 500 people seeking refuge in an evacuation centre in Tavua are being forced to collect fruits floating in floodwaters to sustain their hunger.
Since arriving at the evacuation centre at Tavua District Primary and Secondary School, the villagers of Nabuna and Vanuakula have had to fend for themselves as the authorities await the delivery of food rations to the area.
The villagers were rescued by police rescue teams and local fishing vessels throughout the weekend when more than six feet of floodwaters engulfed the villages.
The rescue operation that continued over two nights evacuated more than 300 people from Nabuna and another 200 from the neighbouring village of Vanuakula.
But over the six days they spent at the evacuation centre, the villagers have finished the meager food supplies they managed to salvage during their rescue.
Nabuna village headman (turaga ni koro), Waisake Semi said they saved nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Mr Semi said all their root crops were destroyed by the floodwaters.
He said during their stay at the evacuation center, they have survived on the root crops that were harvested prior to the flooding.
Mr Semi said most of the root crops they brought with them to the center had rotted.
Mr Semi said some of their women were collecting chestnuts (ivi) from the floodwaters, cleaning then selling it for money to buy food.
"All our food supplies have finished and we are now relying on the ivi that we collect from the flood to get some money to buy meat and cassava."
"We are really in trouble. More than 300 people are from Nabuna and there are 298 from Vanuakula and we do not have any food."
"All our livestock that we had in the village has died in the floodwaters."
Mr Semi pleaded for immediate assistance to help the families that at the evacuation centre.
Tavua Police Station officer in charge, Superintendent Jope Ralulu confirmed the evacuees had to fend for themselves.
SP Ralulu said they had met with the District Office and was informed that food rations were yet to be delivered to the area.
