Tearfund’s Fiji Partners Face Widespread Need After Cyclone Yasa

Tearfund’s partners have emerged to face the task of helping people in the wake of devastating Cyclone Yasa which ripped through heavily populated islands in Fiji last night, with wind gusts up to 345km/h.

Tearfund CEO, Ian McInnes says with communications down it is difficult to get a clear picture of the havoc wreaked by this brutal cyclone, but our partners report widespread destruction with trees down, homes flattened, and power cuts.

Yasa is similar in ferocity to Cyclone Winston in 2016 that killed 44 people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, McInnes says. “I cannot even imagine how stressful and hard this is for the people living in Fiji preparing for Christmas after the challenges of Covid-19 this year.”

He says our partner planned to go out this morning to assess the needs and damage in their communities and follow up by distributing pre-positioned emergency supplies to those most in need.

In the true spirit of Christmas, Mr McInnes is urging Kiwis to respond generously by donating funds to agencies they trust. “I know it has been a tough year for us in New Zealand, but Fiji needs immediate help and the quickest and most effective way to help is to donate.”

Mr McInnes says, “Our hope and prayer is that all are safe and the measures taken to prepare, have limited losses and protected lives.”

Tearfund has launched its Cyclone Yasa appeal at tearfund.org.nz/yasa.

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