Families on Viwa Island are receiving much-needed relief following an emergency water delivery aimed at addressing shortages caused by prolonged dry conditions linked to El Niño.

The delivery provided water to Viwa District School and its quarters, Viwa Nursing Station, Viwa Village and Yalobi Nursing Station, supporting essential needs such as drinking, cooking and hygiene.

The operation is part of the ongoing El Niño emergency response coordinated by the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport through Government Shipping Services, in collaboration with the Water Authority of Fiji, the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, and the Fiji National Disaster Management Office through the Commissioner Western’s Office.

Viwa Island is home to 427 people across three villages, with communities relying entirely on rainwater for their daily needs. Prolonged dry spells have made access to water increasingly difficult.

District Nurse Iliesa Ratuva said the shortage was affecting community health and making it harder to care for patients.

He said limited access to clean water had contributed to skin infections, scabies and diarrhoea, particularly among children.

He also highlighted concerns about dehydration and the difficulties families face maintaining proper hygiene when stored water becomes contaminated.

The emergency delivery is expected to ease these challenges by improving access to water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene, while supporting healthcare services on the island.

For 61-year-old Venina Kula of Naibalebale Village, finding enough water remains a daily struggle.

She said families had been searching for water to wash clothes and meet essential needs, particularly drinking and cooking.

Both Ratuva and Kula expressed appreciation for the assistance, with the delivery providing relief to families and helping ease concerns about their daily water needs.

The emergency response team will continue supplying water to vulnerable maritime communities as efforts continue to address the effects of prolonged dry conditions.