While the extent of damage at SPC offices and project sites is yet to be determined, Dr Tukuitonga confirmed the globally-significant tissue culture collections at SPC’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePaCT) in Suva are unaffected, as the building is intact and there is a back-up generator maintaining the temperature in the storage laboratories.
Good to know, as Cyclone Winston a week or so back was clearly a bit of a bastard.
And this from the genebank’s curator, Valerie Tuia.
CePaCT facility is all fine – and lucky we have a good backup generator…and the collections are all fine. There was a curfew but staff and us managed to get in to check on the facilities during the cyclone. Only our breadfruit plot is damaged with some varieties decapitated and some fallen over. We would start trimming and allow to regrow. So far getting back slowly and we hope power will back to our homes.
Very best wishes to Valerie, her team and all my other friends at SPC and in Fiji.