Publication Date September 9, 2016 | ABC News

Fiji relocates vulnerable villages amid Cyclone Winston rebuild

Fiji
Tukuraki Village seen swamped under dirt after a landslide. Photo: Janet Lotawa
Tukuraki Village seen swamped under dirt after a landslide. Photo: Janet Lotawa

As Fiji continues to rebuild after Cyclone Winston devastated large parts of the country in February, entire villages are being relocated because of their vulnerability to natural disasters.

Forty-six communities have been marked for relocation and one of the first to undergo the process is Tukuraki on the northern side of Fiji's main island, Viti Levu.

The residents have suffered more than their fair share of disasters in recent years.

Many of the villages slated for relocation are in low-lying coastal areas that are vulnerable to rising sea levels and storm surges