A family in Sawani have lost their home and belongings following a landslide caused by heavy rain and flooding.
Speaking to this newspaper, homeowner Ranjeev Prasad said the landslide occurred early yesterday morning at 5am.
He said all personal belongings were left behind as the family fled the collapsing home in fear of being buried in the mud.
Mr Prasad said the family had lived in the house for more than 37 years and this was the first time such an incident had occurred.
“We heard some cracking sounds and when I looked out the window, we saw the mud coming down,” he said.
“My clothes and our belongings are all inside the house, we must start from scratch again.
“We will be staying with our neighbours tonight while we figure out what to do later on.”
He added that it would take a couple of months for the family to clear their home of the debris.
Narayan Motors Service Station Ltd owner Deepak Vishal Narayan said his business was greatly affected by the landslide as water and mud had damaged fridges and food items in the shop.
He said the closure of the service station had affected people living in the area and said they would remain closed until safety checks and cleanup was completed.
According to the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) associated cloud and rain is expected to affect the Central, Eastern and Northern divisions of the country today.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) have urged residents in affected areas in Vatuwaqa and Wailoku in Suva to move to nearby evacuation centres.
The three evacuation centres include St Marcellin Primary School, Marist Champagnat Institute and Marata Hall in Wailoku.
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