Many families in Nadi faced a challenging Christmas this year due to severe flooding. Ulamila Waqavatu, who was forced to celebrate the holiday at an evacuation center with her family, shared her experience as one of the 62 evacuees impacted by the floods in the Nawaka area.
Waqavatu, a mother of five, has lived in Nawakalevu for over eight years and detailed the unexpected nature of the evacuation on Christmas morning. Unlike previous alerts, where police would give families time to prepare, this time they were instructed to evacuate immediately. Waqavatu recounted waking up to find the water level rising to her waist as she hurriedly left her home, with no time to gather any belongings.
Upon reaching the evacuation center, her family had to make do with dhal and rice for their Christmas meal. Despite the disappointment, Waqavatu expressed a profound sense of gratitude, emphasizing that the love of God matters more than the traditional celebrations of food. She expressed thankfulness that no lives were lost during the floods.
Waqavatu also highlighted the lessons learned from past flooding events and her family’s commitment to heeding authorities’ advice during such emergencies. Another evacuee, Vasiti Vosawale, echoed the sentiment, calling the situation a “Christmas disaster.”
Currently, the 62 evacuees are being accommodated in twelve classrooms at Andrews Primary School, as Nadi has three designated evacuation centers.
This situation, though tragic, serves as a reminder of community resilience and the strength found in togetherness during tough times. The spirit of gratitude and faith demonstrated by Waqavatu and others in the face of adversity reflects a powerful lesson that even in times of difficulty, hope and safety take precedence over material celebrations.
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