Staying informed
AS parents and guardians are being urged to keep a watchful eye on their children during this rainy period, there will no doubt be questions asked about processes, plans and action to be taken.
The police have sent out a message urging parents and guardians to be vigilant as floodwaters affect areas around the country.
It was not unusual to see children in the past crossing and swimming in flooded areas, often without adult supervision. It seems there have been videos posted on social media of children playing in flooded rivers and creeks.
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and the Fiji Police Force have also urged families to contact them if they require assistance.
Most areas in the western part of Viti Levu were flooded, and evacuation centres provided to those affected yesterday.
In the northern division, floodwaters rose as heavy rain fell throughout Saturday and well into the night.
There will obviously be questions asked about drainage systems and river dredging in Labasa for starters.
That’s something the town’s fathers will have to reflect on.
We hope regular maintenance and strategic dredging are considered as essential to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall. We hope there is investment in long-term solutions since this isn’t a rare thing happening in the north.
By Saturday afternoon, the waters had risen so fast, forcing many people to be stranded away from their home.
Again we reflect on water safety. Mothernature has a mind of its own it seems.
It is in our best interests though to be prepared. This isn’t something that has just come out of the woodworks.
We are prone to natural disasters annually and we have a cyclone season that runs through from November to April.
The onus falls back on us to be prepared always. While nature’s fury is unpredictable, we can lessen its impact by encouraging a culture of preparedness.
Our annual vulnerability to natural disasters necessitates constant vigilance. In saying that, floods are not a seasonal anomaly as we have stated above, but a recurring event we must be prepared for. The onus doesn’t fall solely on individual households though.
Local communities can collaborate with disaster management authorities to plan on how to address vulnerabilities.
We say families should have an emergency kit readily available, containing basic necessities like non-perishable food, clean water, first-aid supplies, and communication tools.
Monitoring weather updates and advisories sent out by the NDMO is important to anticipate floods and take timely action.
Floods pose a major threat. While there are concerns about ensuring the safety of children and offering assistance to those displaced, it’s equally important to focus on long-term solutions.
We should be encouraging resilience against future floods, safeguarding lives and minimizing damage.
We should be emphasizing long-term preparedness, and promoting community-based initiatives, stockpiling essentials, and most importantly, staying informed!