Sainiani Boila 
Aerial shot of Qoma Village in Tailevu
Despite experiencing the direct impact of climate change, Qoma, Tailevu, villagers are adamant they will not relocate.
Frequent low tides, the disappearance of fruit trees and traditional medicinal plants, and shifting wind patterns are some of the climatic change patterns significantly impacting Qoma villagers.
However, people like 74-year-old Qoma elder Sailasa Vasu Naisele maintain relocation will never be an option for them.
Naisele says the community is grappling with the threat of rising sea levels, especially after experiencing severe flooding during Cyclone Winston.
He says having an evacuation centre is another critical concern for them.
“We don’t have an evacuation centre here. We’ve requested one, but we haven’t received any help. We have a small mountain, but it can’t accommodate everyone. If another disaster strikes, we don’t know where we will go.”
Despite these challenges, Naisele says they do not want to relocate as the present location is an ancestral land and a burial site.
Qoma Village, home to over 250 residents and 70 houses, is calling for immediate intervention from relevant authorities to address the escalating threats posed by climate change, including the construction of a seawall, provision of fishing boats, and the establishment of an evacuation centre.
