Sainiani Boila 
[File Photo]
The low-lying Nabuna Flats in Tavua are facing recurring floods that threaten homes, farms, and food security.
Village Headman Sainivalati Nasauai shared that he has witnessed the changes firsthand.
The 59-year-old explained that over the past five years, starting in 2023, recurrent flooding has hit the community hard, submerging homes and farms.
“Each cyclone season, the Nabuna flats are particularly vulnerable. Government support kicks in during crises. The Ministry of Disaster Management aids evacuations to Tavua District School, with police and officials on hand. Yet, if waters keep rising, many bunker down in their homes.”
Nasauai states that climate change intensifies Fiji’s cyclone season from November to April, and the Nabuna flats are particularly vulnerable.
He adds that government support kicks in during crises, with the Ministry of Disaster Management aiding evacuations to Tavua District School and police and officials on hand.
Yet, he says many still bunker down in their homes when waters rise.
The floods destroy key food sources, such as root crops, Vudi, Bananas, and Yams, which are critical to the village’s food security.
Nasauai notes that fishing grounds provide protein, but some residents commute to jobs in nearby Vatukoula town.
Relocation plans are under discussion, he says, but emotional ties to the land run deep and villagers prefer to stay. Proximity to the sea sustains fishing and daily life, making the flats a lifeline despite the risks.
Nabuna village has 65 houses and 335 villagers, all living with the annual threat of flooding and the challenge of preserving traditional livelihoods.
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