Twenty-one water systems and over 80 rural water schemes were affected due to Tropical Cyclone Yasa and TC Ana around the country.

Infrastructure Minister Jone Usamate says supply within the Central, Eastern and Maritime Divisions are fully restored.

Usamate says due to major landslides and flooding, there were blockages at catchments and water pump areas especially in the Northern division.

He says TC Ana further damaged the water system and as a result, certain areas are still facing issues with supply.

“The Northern division systems are fully restored, except for the main system in Labasa which was at 40 percent completion. Continuous heavy rain has caused major landslides in Nasealevu area resulting in the washing away and rupture of the major bulk pipeline supplying raw water to the Benau water treatment plant. Initially, 250 meters of this major pipeline was washed away and later another 80 meters was washed away and this had to be replaced and this has also delayed the systems repair and restoration works.”

The Infrastructure Minister says water supply has been normalized in business areas of Labasa and hopes that the supply will be fully restored in other affected areas soon.