IMPLEMENTATION Govt Aims to Reduce Flash Flooding Damage Through Forecast System

Government continues to enhance its efforts in providing services that will help prevent loss of lives and reduce damage to properties through natural disasters.

This was stated by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Disaster management and Meteorological Service, Taitusi Vakadravuyaca,

at the first steering committee meeting on the Flash-flood Guiding System for Fiji (FijiFFGS).

“The implementation of the FijiFFGS will supplement and improve existing systems for the monitoring and early warning of floods in Fiji and will provide guidance to the Fiji Meteorological Service to cater for future flash-floods forecast and warnings with improved lead time,” he said.

“Flashfloods pose a very significant threat worldwide; it causes the highest number of deaths per the total number of people affected. “Most flash-floods happen after intense rainfall from slow-moving systems such as thunderstorms and tropical cyclones.” Mr Vakadravuyaca said the FijiFFGS was currently being eimplemented by the Fiji Meteorological Service with the Hydrology Research Centre (HRC) providing technical assistance for the system implementation and training.

The World Meteorological Organisation is also providing technical services, including monitoring and implementation.

“The main objective for this project is to reduce the vulnerability of the country to hydro-meteorological disasters, specifically, flash floods by developing and implementing a flash flood guiding system to strengthen the national capacity to develop timely and accurate flash flood warnings.”

The three-day committee meeting will include discussions, training and presentations on the FijiFFGS with Government sectors and various stakeholders.