In aid of what has happened recently in both Samoa and Fiji, I wanted to post a blog with information to contact loved ones and also donate to help rebuild homes that were damaged due to category 5 Cyclone Evan. As most of you know I was in Fiji at the time of Cyclone Evan, here is my story.
Sunday 16th December - We were officially evacuated from Malololailai today at around 1.30pm! As we were staying in a private house on the hill we hadn't received notice that the Fijian government had officially announced a full evacuation, once we had received this information all boats had gone, the only way to leave the island was via helicopter or start bunkering down within the compound. We were able to get a helicopter to the mainland Nadi, but may I assure you that with clouds getting blacker by the second caused emotions to run wild and knowing that we were escaping one island we still had to get to the mainland and find a hotel with rooms available to seek shelter.
Once we had landed at the airport, Airlie and I who had a flight booked for the following day, thought we would try our luck on getting on a flight immediately whilst others in our party, not set to leave for another week or so, went and stocked up on water and food and found a safe hotel to bunker down in. The Nadi International airport was back to the brim with Holiday makers and Schoolies alike all trying to vacate prior to the cyclone. Supplementary flights were put on, as all planes needed to leave Fiji and seek safety in closer countries, after a 2.5 hour wait in the queue at the airport Airlie and I were able to get on one of the supplementary flights going to New Zealand at 7.10pm that night. With flights being cancelled I can assure you that it was indeed a very nervous wait, but 8.30pm our plane was ready to leave. I finally touched down in Sydney, Monday at 9am and spent the day and night researching and tracking Cyclone Evan and keep my friends in Fiji updated with it's destructive path and also taking it into my own hands to update their facebook pages and message loved ones to let them know they were ok.
Now thankfully cyclone evan has passed, but has left Fiji worse for wear. As I go back and edit photo's for my blog, it saddens me to know that the house and location I shot at is now flooded and vegetation destroyed.
Here are a list of reliable donation sites:
Make a difference! Either donate money or add a little more in you're shopping trolley this week to send over. Items that are helpful; non perishable foods, linen, clothes, toiletries, kitchenware, water containers and rope.
For those wanting to find out more info about Aussie and Kiwi friends and family call: Consular Emergency Centre 1300 555 135
My thoughts with all those in Fiji dealing with the clean up OPERATION SASAMAKI.
Nikki xox
