Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Evacuation centres set up following cyclone Mick in Fiji close

Posted at 18:33 on 29 December, 2009 UTC

All evacuation centres in Fiji that housed people following Cyclone Mick have now been closed with authorities declaring the homes affected are now safe.

More than eight thousand people displaced during the cyclone were forced into evacuation centres, and gradually health officials have been sending them home.

The last 76, in evacuation centres in the Western Division, have returned home over the past few days.

The Acting Director of the National Disaster Management Office, Pajilai Dobui says the Health Ministry completed inspections of the evacuees’ homes.

“We tried to clear all the affected areas from diseases normally associated with disasters like floods and cyclones. The Ministry of Health says these areas are quite healthy for people to go back and that’s why the centres have been closed.”

Pajilai Dobui says the Ministry has had concerns about there being a lack of food but it’s now confident there are enough crops to go around.