Fiji - intense rains and flash floods caused widespread damage
Pastor Dale Morgan
Fiji - Intense rains and flash floods caused widespread damage*
Last Updated 11/02/2007, 16:13:18
Fiji plans to step up its early warning flood systems after intense
rains and flash floods caused widespread damage in the northern region
at the weekend.
Authorities say some 700 people had to be evacuated from rising water
levels and be provided with emergency shelters.
The head of Fiji's national disaster management office, Joeli Rokovada,
says early warning sirens for floods are being installed in the capital,
Suva, and two nearby towns.
Mr Rokovada says similar warning systems are planned for major rivers in
the west and northern part of Fiji, with the help of the European Union.
"That involves the infrastructural development, putting in place the
telemetric stations, the river gauges and other forms of instruments.
"And it also involves the siren, the alarm system, meaning that whenever
the water level in the river reaches a danger level then those sirens
are automatically activated."