Caritas Australia will provide financial supports for last week's floods in Fiji. Caritas Australia will work closely with its Fijian partner, CEPAC in responding to the needs of many Fijian families left vulnerable.

Over the last few days, Fiji has been hit by a downpour of torrential rain in addition to last weeks flooding which resulted in 10 people drowning and a further 11 people reported missing. Many landslides and flooding has cut off several towns, including the capital city Suva. The army and navy have been called to help in the evacuation of hundreds of local residents from their homes and around the capital.

Caritas Australia National Director, Jack de Groot said the organisation is accepting donations to help the people of Fiji in their reconstruction and rehabilitation work. "Anyone who would like to offer financial assistance should ring our donation hotline 1800 024 413."

Last year, Cartias Australia supported emergency disaster preparedness training with its Pacific partners, including Fiji. The fresh fear is that major rivers may now burst their banks, threatening hundreds of thousands more people and causing further landsides.


Louis Leung
Ecumenical Press