As Cyclone Vaianu crossed Fiji over on April 7 and 8 this week rivers broke their banks on both sides of the main island of Viti Levu, while storm surges saw sea water inundate parts of coastal towns, and high force winds downed trees, removed roof iron, and flattened fragile food crops.

Bishop Gabriel Sharma reports from the Western division of Viti Levu that the most affected members of church communities will be families that farm the lands along the Sigatoka and Nadi Rivers, and other rivers and coastal zones which have flooded into surrounding areas during the storm. 

While for now it looks like the storm has caused less damage than other recent Cyclone events, at this stage it is hard to assess the full impact as power outages and communications disruptions continue to affect multiple communities, with several locations still unreachable. 

ADRA aid and development in Fiji reports that as of 9 April, there were 1,470 people from 378 households sheltering in 46 evacuation centres across Fiji, with 30 evacuation centres located in the Western Division.

With 41 flood-prone areas identified across affected regions of Fiji today, it is likely that up to 2,300 agricultural households will be directly affected, raising concerns about food security and major loss of income from ruined crops not reaching markets in coming weeks.

Flooded roads and crossings are limiting access and slowing assessment and response efforts, and nationwide school closures remain in place due to safety concerns. 

Bishop Gabriel reported immediate impacts close to home.

"Root crops have been ruined where there's flooding, and food gardens that families rely on for subsistence or commercial farming will have been badly affected. Even in my own backyard food garden a lot of vegetable plants have been damaged or knocked down by the winds." 

St Peter's Lautoka has not been affected by flooding, and while there was flooding in Ba, Bishop Gabriel has received no news of damage to church properties there, in Nadi or elsewhere across the Western region thus far. 

The Reverend Lusi Tuinanunu reported from St Lawrence Anglican Church in Lakena settlement in the Eastern Viti Levu Nausori region that strong rains and flooding are a significant challenge for her community which desperately needs support to improve the settlement's drainage and refuse management. 

"We have been praying for the funding to get a digger here to clear the drains." said Rev Lusi.

"Please keep us in your prayers."

Staff from Anglican Missions will visit Fiji next week to work with local communities on preparedness for future storms as part of their new Pacific-focused programme which aims to back local communities strengthening their resilience to disasters.