Flooding takes heavy toll on Qauia families

Families in Qauia, Lami, are facing severe mental and economic tolls due to climate change and increasingly frequent, severe flooding. Residents describe how heavy rains and cyclones regularly inundate homes and farms, damaging livelihoods and disrupting everyday life.

The impact extends beyond the physical, affecting mental well-being, education, and household incomes. Resident Apenisa Rasalase Volauvou highlighted the multifaceted challenges, stating, “This is an issue that affects us mentally, physically and also economically. It affects parents, students and even workers. When there is a downpour, students cannot cross, and it also affects workers.”

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This is an issue that affects us mentally, physically and also economically. It affects parents, students and even workers. When there is a downpour, students cannot cross, and it also affects workers.

Farms, both upstream and downstream, are vulnerable to being washed away, diminishing the community's ability to produce its own food. Tawatatau Makisaele, another resident, shared his experience of using his punt to transport others to evacuation centers during floods, despite the risks. His own farm downstream is frequently affected, forcing his family to rely on market food.

For the Qauia community, flooding is no longer a temporary inconvenience. It is fundamentally altering how families sustain themselves, earn income, and ensure their children attend school. The persistent damage is creating an escalating mental and economic burden on the entire community.

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I always use my punt to transport residents to the evacuation centre during floods, despite the risks involved. My farm downstream is also regularly affected, leaving my family with little choice but to rely on food from the market.