A freak windstorm ravaged Rakiraki, devastating 11 houses and a church, and forced around 20 people to seek refuge in a community hall, as reported by The Fiji Times on September 13, 1990.
Six individuals, including a two-year-old boy from Naivuvuni Village, sustained minor injuries from flying roofing iron. They were treated at Rakiraki Hospital and subsequently discharged.
Selai Ratumatua, a villager, recounted that the freak whirlwind struck at about 8:20 am and lasted approximately half an hour. “The whirlwind began from the seaside and traveled upwards, damaging houses in its path,” she said.
A Public Works Department van traveling towards the town was caught in the whirlwind, spinning for four minutes before crashing into a tree. A Navatu farmer, Awadh Ram, reported that the van driver and a PWD foreman from Vaqara sustained minor injuries and were treated at the hospital.
Numerous houses had their roofs torn off, and a church over 11 years old was flattened, leaving only its concrete foundation intact. Three other houses situated about 50 meters from the church also lost their roofs. An old wooden shop owned by Ram Sharan likewise had its roof ripped off during the 30-minute storm.
Men from the village were out fishing or harvesting cane when the whirlwind began, leaving women and children in the village to either prepare breakfast, cook, or wash. Village elder Sailasa Naisekene, 63, stated it was the first time he had experienced such a wind, which sounded like an airplane and caused extensive damage to trees and crops.
Naisekene noted the importance of the storm occurring during the day, suggesting that if it had happened at night, people might have been gravely injured. He emphasized that the damage would have been worse had the whirlwind stayed in one place instead of moving.
Women were trapped under collapsed roofs and walls, with some waiting for a rescue while others lost their belongings, including beds, clothing, food, and kitchen utensils. Six families sought shelter at the village community hall, where relatives provided food for them.
Rakiraki district officer Sakenasa Varea inspected the damage and planned to conduct a detailed survey. His office indicated that a decision regarding food rations for the villagers would be made after the survey.
Sub-divisional medical officer Dr. Reuben Villarroya treated six patients, all of whom had minor injuries and were sent home after receiving medical attention.
Acting director of meteorology Rajendra Prasad explained that whirlwinds, though hard to detect, were not uncommon and occurred during bad weather and low-pressure conditions. In the aftermath, Rakiraki and some parts of Tavua experienced continuous rain, with some areas reaching flood levels. The weather office reported that a slow-moving cloud system due to low pressure was responsible for the ongoing rain.