While we continue to encourage our fellow Fijians to prepare accordingly for this adverse weather, we also call on all households in affected communities to move to higher grounds during daylight to avoid any rescue mission taking place during dark hours.
This was stated by National Disaster Management Office Director, Vasiti Soko who says they do not want to place the lives of their first responders at risk, thus the need for people to move while it is still daylight.
Soko also says with information received from their teams on the ground, they can confirm flooding in the Central, Western, and Northern Divisions, however, no evacuation centers have been opened yet.
The NDMO Director adds they want to assure community members that Police and NFA teams are on standby to assist with evacuation.
She says they are calling on the general public to remain on high alert and take the necessary precautionary measures should the need arise.
Soko further adds if the need to move arises, people are to look out for members of vulnerable groups in their communities and ensure that they are well looked after.
An active trough of low pressure with clouds and rain continues to affect the Group.
A heavy rain warning is now is force for Fiji.
An active trough of low pressure remains slow moving over Fiji while associated cloud and rain continues to affect the country.
A flash flood warning is now in force for low lying areas, small streams and flood prone areas adjacent to Rakiraki, Nasivi and Ba Rivers, and is also in place for areas from Sigatoka to Rakiraki while a flash flood alert remains in force for flood prone areas, small streams and low lying areas for the rest of the Western Division.
A flash flood alert is also in force for small streams and flood prone areas from Bua to Macuata.
A river flood warning remains in force for Ba, Tuva, Nadi and Vitogo Rivers while a flood alert remains in force for the rest of the major rivers in the Western Division.
Possible impacts include flooding of towns, roads, Irish crossing and bridges in low lying areas and flood plains.
The NDMO Director says should people need any assistance, they can contact them on the toll-free lines – 917 and 910 respectively.
