The cyclones and recent deluges have set business back by up to 10 years says a retail operator in Fiji's hard hit west.
People queue in Lautoka for their Fiji National Provident Fund cheques as part of cyclone relief Photo: RNZI/Sally Round
Ravikesh Reddy of Subrails Furniture Centre in Lautoka said it would take until next year to get back to normal trading and the business will probably make a huge loss this year.
He said customers are coming in to buy replacement furniture for belongings damaged by the bad weather and spending is being boosted by the Fiji National Provident Fund cyclone assistance which people have been getting.
But Mr Reddy said productivity was down.
"The other main problem is that our staff as well, they are not able to come down and operate fully. We are not operating to the maximum since our staff are also affected by the cyclone. We need more time to recuperate" he said.
Nadi shopkeepers clean up outside their shops after flooding this week Photo: RNZI/Sally Round
Businesses in Nadi begin the big clean-up
Shopkeepers are mopping up in the Fijian town of Nadi after a huge deluge of rain this week.
The busy tourist and business centre was inundated with water metres high racing down the main street and flooding shops.
Power was disrupted and the town closed as floodwaters rose quickly leaving people stranded and unable to cross in strong currents.
The floodwaters have subsided but Kishore Lal Raniga said the business he manages is already down several thousand dollars.
"It was heaps of mud, dirt and a whole lot of other things inside. It was really muddy. As much as we could we saved and the rest, it was in the water. It really put us in the soup and the whole country is under pressure you know."
Kishore Lal Raniga said there was also pressure to open as soon as possible so more money isn't lost.
Rubbish on Nadi streets after floodwaters subsided Photo: RNZI/Sally Round
Water contamination rife after floods
Meanwhile, the Fiji Red Cross said some water sources in the Western Division were contaminated again and it was reminding people to boil water and keep out of the rivers.
Operations Manager Eseroma Ledua said the floods this week had destroyed much of the sanitation work done in remote areas over the past few weeks.
He said local volunteers were still out checking on what else people needed.
"The priority non-food items that we'll be needing during this time, especially this flood, will be more black bags, this is a bag that contains clothes for five members in a family also jerry cans. They will be needing blankets, also hygiene kits and also dignity kits for ladies."
Mr Ledua said it has had to activate its emergency operations centre in Sigatoka to deal with the needs in the west.
