Spain rugby 7s team hailed as heros after horror Fiji cyclone
The Spanish rugby 7s team helped prevent catastrophe in the Uprising Resort outside Suva, Fiji, by acting fast and building tidal wave barriers.
The Spanish rugby 7s team are being hailed as heros after they helped prevent catastrophe in Fiji by braving 230kmh winds to set up tidal wave barriers made of sandbags and secure the site. Tropical Cyclone Winston, which lashed Fiji on Saturday night causing death and devastation, is the most powerful storm on record in the Southern Hemisphere.
"Forever grateful to these guys @Spain7s who have out their own safety on the line to help us protect what we can!" Tweeted the resort after the team's efforts:
“They kept us safe,” assured resort manager James Pridgeon, “They didn't put their own lives first – they just kept working”. The team Tweeted these photos saying "Just to finish off the day's training we said we'd do a bit extra and help prevent damage in a level-5 Cyclone!"
The team is staying at the resort, which is located just under 50 kilometres from the island's capital, Suva, on a month-long training course ahead of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Hong Kong, which they are aiming to qualify for as a stepping stone to the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The Spanish Rugby Federation assured that a safe area in the hotel had been set up for all guests, including the players, and that nobody had been injured.
Coach Tiki Inchausti said "Fiji wasn't prepared for a situation like this, the country is in shock and it'll take some time to get over it".
