Suva, 4 March, 2016

The Fijian Government and the United Nations have jointly launched a US$38.6 million Humanitarian Emergency Appeal for the 350,000 people affected by Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston that is aimed at complementing the relief efforts of the Fijian Government to date.

The availability of reliable and independent data, as well as voice communications services is a high priority for a successful humanitarian response. While national telecommunications services and commercial service providers are restoring services to much of the pre-cyclone coverage levels, there are significant pockets within Fiji that remain without service, typically in the hardest-hit areas. Since the humanitarian community will largely be concentrating their work in these hard-hit areas, it will be critically important to provide an independent source of data and voice communications to enable them to perform their life-saving work. The National Disaster Management Organisation (NDMO) will also need to restore its vital communications links, particularly those to the outer islands of Fiji that were in the direct path of Tropical Cyclone Winston, for example: Koro, Taveuni, the Lau Group and the Yasawa Group.

The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster appealed for US$695,000 to support inter-agency response. The priority actions are:

1. Deploy satellite systems (VSATs) that will provide backup data/internet services in affected areas, as well as deploy satellite phones, BGAN units and HF radios in the hardest hit areas to support reestablishment of communications.

2. Establish three communication nodes and control centers for humanitarian relief workers serving large population centers.

Read the full report