Roundup: Worst tropical cyclone adversely impacts up to 120,000 children in Fiji

The UN Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Friday estimated that up to 120,000 children across Fiji may be badly affected as the full picture of the worst cyclone ever to hit the country becomes more apparent.

UNICEF officials say that the trauma of the event itself must not be underestimated, and many children have been affected by varying degrees of loss, including the devastation of losing family or community members, the sadness of losing homes or belongings, and the danger of losing places of critical importance to their development, such as schools and health centers.

In addition, there are many dangers at play in a post-emergency situation, such as increasing levels of stagnant water that are breeding grounds for diseases like diarrhoea.

On Feb. 20-21, Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Winston cut a path of destruction across Fiji's islands, blowing off roofs, bringing down trees and powerlines, and flooding rivers. The tropical cyclone left at least 21 people dead and more than 8,000 people sheltering in evacuation centers over the weekend.

"Children are often the most vulnerable during emergencies and UNICEF continues to support the Government of Fiji's efforts in addressing the needs of children," said UNICEF Pacific Representative Karen Allen.

Joseph Hing, another official from UNICEF Pacific who traveled with the first shipment of emergency supplies to Koro Island, said that "the damage to Koro Island is extensive and the scale of the destruction is overwhelming," he said. "I spoke to countless people who have lost everything. Their lives have been turned utterly upside down."

Koro Island is one of the worst-hit areas by Cyclone Winston in Fiji.

The geographic make-up of Fiji and the logistical challenges involved in completing assessments of the outer islands pose many barriers, but each day brings more progress, the officials said.

The UN agency is continuing to work in close partnership with Fiji's government and other partners to ensure a coordinated and strategic emergency response.

Within the first 24 hours after the Fijian government asked for assistance, UNICEF provided 3,000 people in the worst affected areas with water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to ensure safe drinking water and delivered education supplies to 995 students of eight schools in the Lau and Lomaiviti groups.

Emergency health kits, to service a population of 1,000 people for three months, as well as tents and education supplies, funded by the New Zealand Government, are being distributed to worst-affected outer islands.

On Wednesday night, health supplies, including vitamin A capsules, oral rehydration salts, zinc tablets and six basic health kits were loaded onto boats departing for Gau Island and Batiki Island.

China on Monday provided emergency humanitarian aid of 100,000 U.S. dollars to the Fiji Red Cross Society, becoming the first country to do so in the aftermath of tropical cyclone Winston, said the top official with the Fiji Red Cross Society.

While handing over the emergency humanitarian aid to Cathy Wong, national president of the Fiji Red Cross Society, Gu Yu, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Fiji said China sympathizes with the Fijian people on their sufferings and will do the utmost to help the Fijian people rebuild their homes.

The Chinese embassy is in close contact with relevant departments of the Fijian government for disaster situation updates, Gu said, adding that China is willing to continue to provide humanitarian aid to Fiji and actively participate in its reconstruction.

Meanwhile, the Australian government has donated to UNICEF hygiene kits for 7,920 people and water purification tabs for 1,066 household.

More funding is needed to sustain and scale up this response, the officials said.

"More heartening though are the stories we are hearing of heroism and the very best of humanity," Allen said, noting that "Fijians are renowned for the kindness and generosity and we are seeing nothing but solidarity and shared commitment to recover together." Endit