Fiji hit by widespread flooding

FIJI – Heavy rain has caused widespread flooding in Fiji, just over a month since Cyclone Winston battered the country.

The north and west of the main island of Viti Levu were among the worst-affected areas.

The NaDraki Weather Service said the heavy rain was brought on by a tropical depression and it had received reports of flooding and minor damage to vegetation.

It said many parts of Fiji had received nearly 200 millimetres of rain within 24 hours, and warned residents in areas prone to flash flooding to seek higher ground.

Robert Yavala, a resident in Nadi, said the town centre was shut down and the main bridges and roads were flooded.

“It’s still raining intermittently as well. The bridge outside Nadi is already covered, the roads going outside to the main highway are already flooded, including the market area and the bus station.”

“Basically, probably a quarter of the town is already flooded,” Yavala said, adding that the rain had begun on Sunday.

There were also had intermittent power outages, he said.

There was also flooding in the town of Ba in the north of the main island.

“Most of the town itself is flooded – it seems like the water continues to rise,” said Naziah Ali, a local publisher.

“Police have urged everybody to go home, because as it gets dark it might get a bit dangerous to be stuck in floodwaters,” she said. “In the town area I am in, most parts of the shops have been flooded.”

Ali said one school had been kept open as an evacuation centre, and people appeared to be taking precautions.

“They’re packing up and trying to find a way to evacuation centres or at least to higher ground. As we drove around, we saw a lot of cattle and other animals that were rescued being taken to higher ground as well.”

Local media reported 21 schools in low-lying areas of Macuata had been closed until further notice, and all evacuation centres in the north were open.

Late on Monday night, the NaDraki Weather Service said the rain would ease before another tropical depression approaches Fiji today, bringing heavy rainfall and more risk of flooding. - ABC