Residents of 8 Miles River-Road in Narere are reeling after floodwaters inundated their homes early this morning, leaving many without their belongings and only the clothes on their backs.
The flooding began around 2 a.m. and continued until approximately 6 a.m.
Ram Chandra, a 60-year-old resident who has lived in the River-Road settlement for over two decades, expressed disbelief at the severity of the situation. “Nothing was left because the floodwaters took everything. This is the first time something like this has happened; previously, the floods would come, but never this high,” he said.
Mohammed Dean, a resident who moved to the settlement just six months ago, was shocked by the events. He played a critical role in rescuing Chandra’s family as the floodwaters began to rise.
“I woke up this morning to my neighbors screaming and thought they were fighting, but when I looked outside, I saw the water already halfway into their house. I managed to help them to my place by using an old fridge lying around, as my house is a bit higher,” Dean recounted.
He is now appealing to the government for assistance in constructing a new home, voicing concerns about the safety of his family in the face of future flooding. “I need the government to help me build a new house because the one we’re currently in might not be safe if something like this happens again. Besides, this is not my house,” he stated.
These families represent just a few of those impacted by the heavy rains that have been ongoing in Suva.