Government accelerates evacuation centre rollout [Source: UNDP]

The threat of stronger cyclones and rising sea levels is pushing the government to invest urgently in evacuation centres nationwide.

Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Sakiasi Ditoka told Parliament these centres are critical to protecting lives and livelihoods, offering safe shelter during extreme weather and temporary homes for families who have lost property.

Under the National Disaster Risk Management Act 2024, all buildings designated as evacuation centres must be approved by the National Disaster Risk Management Council.

The Ministry is also developing new guidelines to ensure centres are safe, climate-resilient, and inclusive of women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.

In 2024–2025, $1 million funded 30 projects across the country including retrofits, new constructions and upgrades.

The projects spanned all regions, with 11 in the Central Division, seven in the North, six in the East and six in the West.

Ditoka states the Ministry is partnering with international agencies such as UNDP, KOICA, and the International Organization for Migration to expand capacity in high-risk communities.

Key projects include centres in Waya, Lautoka, Cakaudrove, Tailevu, Ra and Ovalau, designed to meet humanitarian and security needs.

For 2025–2026, $1 million has been secured for 26 new projects, balancing retrofits and new builds. Ditoka emphasized that the program is shifting from reactive emergency response to proactive, risk-informed planning, integrating inclusive design and community engagement.

He said the Rural Housing Assistance Program complements the initiative, helping families adopt cyclone-resilient construction methods and reduce future displacement.

Ditoka highlighted that the Coalition Gvernment has delivered 65 evacuation centres in three years,surpassing the 60 completed over a decade by the previous administration.

He adds that expansion signals a commitment to long-term resilience, ensuring every Fijian community has access to safe, climate-ready shelters in the face of worsening natural disasters.

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