16 Apr 2012

Fiji's flood victims will have to find own land for new homes

7:30 pm on 16 April 2012

The director of Fiji's disaster management agency says the interim government will pay to rebuild homes for people displaced by floods at the end of last month but they will have to find their own land.

Thousands of people fled to evacuation centres during devastating flooding that killed six people and officials estimate more than two thousand remain displaced.

DISMAC's Pajiliai Dobui says the interim government should know by tomorrow how many people need new houses under its housing rehabilitation programme.

"Our priority is for them, if they want to go back to that flood-prone area then we will not build for them. The government will only pay for the house. The land area is something that owner will have to prepare himself."

Pajiliai Dobui says the interim government intends to crack down on people building sub-standard houses and in areas at risk of flooding.