TC Yasa: Family take cover in a patch of vetiver grass for 7 hours

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Mahendra Prasad hid with his family in this patch of vetiver grass after STC Yasa blew down their house at Korokadi in Bua. Picture: SERAFINA SILAITOGA

Hours after he was told of its resilience and strength, Mahendra Prasad ran with his family and sheltered in a patch of vetiver grass when super storm Yasa destroyed their Korokadi, Bua, house.

He said just before STC Yasa struck, a neighbour who survived a cyclone in the ’80s said he had used the same patch of grass and lived to tell the tale.

Mr Prasad said he and his family remained in the patch of grass, drenched and shivering from the cold from 10pm until 5am when the winds died down.

“We were at home when the roof flew off, so I broke open the floor and took my wife and children to the bottom of the house,” he said.

“While we were there, we heard the walls collapse and we could feel the floor of the house shaking so I got scared and told my family for us to run to the patch of vetiver grass to hide there.

“We grabbed hold of a big sack and a bedsheet and we ran to the open field and sat by the vetiver grass and covered ourselves with it.”

Mr Prasad said the winds were strong and it was dark but they held each other’s hands and ran towards the grassy patch.

“My daughter fell on the road and hurt her knee but we didn’t give up because we knew the grass would keep us safe.

“As soon as we got to the vetiver grass, we covered ourselves and held on. The winds were so strong and it was raining but we couldn’t go anywhere else.

“Our neighbours live far from us and the road was flooded so I told my family not to move but remain in the grass.

“The grass saved us and we now have to focus on trying to rebuild our home and our lives.”

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