Sainiani Boila 
Aerial shot of Delakado in Tailevu.
The villagers of Delakado in Tailevu have become increasingly proactive about weather precautionary measures, drawing from the hard lessons learned after the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.
Turaga ni Koro Levi Vere expressed that the trauma of the cyclone’s impact remains vivid in the community’s memory, as every house in the village was completely destroyed.
Vere notes that a lack of preparedness and insufficient attention to weather reports greatly contributed to the devastation.
“During TC Winston, our village was not listening to the weather updates and we were caught off guard by the category five cyclone. TC Winston highlighted the urgent need to be vigilant. We have learned to listen to any weather reports, and we will ensure that we are prepared this time.”
He emphasizes that the catastrophic effects of TC Winston serve as a stark reminder of the importance of heeding weather forecasts.
As the community works to strengthen its resilience against future storms, the lessons learned from that tragic event continue to shape their approach to weather preparedness and safety.
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