Flood came from inland

from w
As some were saying the floods in Nadi area didn't rise inch by inch but was like a tidal wave, several feet of water rushed through villages within an hour. That's the story from Nawaka village from our friends and relatives where only three buildings did not have great trouble.

The blame is not only on the monstrous amount of rain but on the rush of water from the inland. Was the dam overflowing or was some water released, some people are wondering. Here is a good letter from a writer from Nadi that was published in the Fiji Times today.

Inland tsunami

Coping through the floods

I have not been able to send my saqamoli piece to this column recently because I have been stressed out cleaning up after the flood, make that floods to be precise.

Just when everyone was admiring a job well done in returning most things to pre-flood condition, another flood hits.

On a positive note though, our home looks cleaner and spacious now than ever. Many shelves and corner stands are now rid of the useless sentimental stuff that our good ladies are so good at preserving, and we never knew existed; old newspapers, dusty books, magazines, pots, pans, containers, clothing, curtains, shoes, mats, etc. Amazing, they are gone and we are still surviving.

Our area is flood-free, supposedly, so to have waist-deep water in the house in less than one hour made me wonder if it really took that long, 40 days of rainfall, to produce the biblical flood which destroyed the world save Noah, his family and some animals in the ark.

Talking about the number 40, we might as well start counting how many more floods we have to endure before the transitional rain goes away and we welcome the traditional dry season from June to September.

As we are beginning to find out, there is more to the flood than rainfall and poorly structured waterways alone. Spring tide sounds gentle and is supposed to be a harmless natural event, but where the water table is already high, it is causing flash floods in coastal lowlands.

Reflecting on what our island country is going through and how we can mitigate the effects of climate change, we can start by replacing spring tide with giant tide and rainy season with monsoon season to underline the severity of these climatic phenomenon and warn our people to be better prepared.

Knowing that tsunamis develop out at sea, we the flood victims in Nadi may sound absurd for harping about inland or upland tsunamis, but when there are lakes of water stored somewhere up in the highlands, we have every reason to be wary.

SAMU RAILOA
Nadi

A different take on the week of floods

from w
Here's a perceptive letter to the editor of the Fiji Times:
Floods and values

There is no power so the TV doesn't work (if we still had one), so we have spent the last week actually talking. For those of you who have forgotten what it is like to sit around a candle and actually listen to your wives and husbands , your fathers and kids, your friends, even yourself ù you'd be amazed at how very interesting they have all suddenly become. No internet at night means conversation has become the alternative to broadband. Suddenly we are really smiling from deep inside again amidst piles of wet things. I am generally an optimist but it is so good to see people reaching out to help each other without motive or agenda.

Until iPhone comes out with an application that helps your phone find dry land by itself, I am starting to see through the inconvenience of our circumstances to the "wake up" call it represents (at least to me and mine). I love my wife. I love my life. I love the people of Fiji for their sense of community and humanism. God bless you all (and maybe even throw you a towel if you need one).

IAN COLLINGWOOD
Nadi

Isa, a third flood for the summer

from w
We came back from a beautiful weekend in Colac where Peceli and I spent a day and a half in pastoral visiting and then leading worship for Palm Sunday today, the people there lovely with their hospitality and stories. Then we read the Fiji news with the stories and photos of devastation once again on the western side of Viti levu such as in Nadi and Ba. Also our family's travel plans have been messed up with planes cancelling flights into Fiji etc. It's so sad that floods just happen time and time again. Some people have made mistakes with infrastructure around Nadi, that diverts the water into torrests through the township. Perhaps Denarau designers? Anyway here are some photos of what has happened in the past two days.

Floods in Labasa, Nadi, Ba regions

from w
While we were enjoying the sunshine with the athletes from Fiji, it was really a large tropical depression in Fiji hitting Vanua Levu with much rain. Our family said that bridges were cut and cars couldn't get through yesterday. Here's one report from the FBC radio:

Residents claim biggest flood ever in Bulileka

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Taken from / By: Faiyaz Khan

Residents in Bulileka Labasa are claiming that the heavy rain in the north has caused the biggest flood ever in their area since three years ago. Torrential rain has been hitting the north since this morning and as Anen Prasad explains, floodwaters have spread across Bulileka and nearby areas. "There's a big flood here in Bulileka. For the last three years, this has to be the largest flood. From Boca Road to Dreketi Lailai, Boubale and Soasoa are all under water and all motorists are stuck. It's a really big flood."

Residents have also been without electricity since early this afternoon.

"Right now where I am sitting I can see the whole of Bulileka, Batinikama there's no power at all in this area. It's all been without power from 4.30pm today."

Pacific Sun was forced to cancel some of its flights to and from the North due to adverse weather conditions experienced there.

Airline spokesman Shane Hussein says some flights to Savusavu, Taveuni and Labasa were cancelled and affected passengers will be accommodated on subsequently scheduled flights to these destinations once weather permits.

One evacuation center has been activated in Labasa as heavy torrential rain and strong winds continue to batter the northern town causing floodwaters to displace a number of residents.

Although no official word has been received from the Disaster Management office, FBC News understands that Daku Bhartiya School is now home to close to 60 people.

We have also received information that Bulileka Secondary School is on standby should residents in surrounding low lying areas need temporary shelter.

But many are hoping conditions will clear up.

FBC Labasa correspondent Mahesh Chand files this report:

"It started raining yesterday and it became heavy and in the afternoon and the wind started blowing and it was very strong. This morning it was raining again and has been like this the whole day and it is still raining now and we experiencing strong winds at the moment. I haven't been out of town but according to my friends there is flood at Suasua Road leading up to Naqiqi side and the the Bulileka near the Army barracks, it is flooded at the moment. Looking at Labasa town there is nothing so far but if it rains heavily whole night, we will probably have floods in Labasa town."

Meanwhile the heavy rain, flooding and landslides have resulted in road closures in the northern division.

The latest update from the Ministry of Works and Transport say that the Vunivesi/Nukubolu road in Savusavu is totally washed away and closed to all traffic, North Coastal Road in Taveuni was hit by a tidal wave however it has been cleared and open to all traffic and the road from Wairiki to Balili was hit by big waves and is closed to all traffic.

In Wainikoro - the road from Mandir Temple to Soasoa flat is under water and close to all traffic.

Urata and Baubale crossing, Dreketilailai crossing and Boca Bridge, Wainidrua in Nakelikoso, Vatunibale junction in Bulileka are all under water and closed to all traffic.

The Siberia low section towards Emily, the Wairiki crossing, Nakama crossing in Naduna, Taganiwaqa crossing in Delaikoro, the Bucalevu crossing, Nakorotari, Waidamudamu, Wailevu Tiri rd and Qaloyaga are all under water and closed to traffic.

A major landslide at the Vesidrua section in Nabouwalu has closed off half the road and the same has happened at the Transinsular Road due to a slip at the Saivou hill.

A landslide has also closed off the Batiri section of the Nabouwalu Road.

The low level crossing at Wailevu West Coast in Savusavu is under water and closed to all traffic and so is the Savudrodro Road.

It is also understood that the new government boat the MV Rogovoka, is stranded in Lomaloma, Vanuabalavu in Lau. The vessel was due to unload cargo in Lakeba today but had to return to Lomaloma because of rough seas and heavy rains.

Report by : Apisalome Coka; Ritika Pratap; Roland Koroi; Indra Singh
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a few days later:
the western side of Viti Levu really had severe storm and flood damage - even Tavua, Rakiraki, Ba, Lautoka and Nadi. Once again the onslaught of nature intrudes into the lives of people - often damaging property, frightening people, causing electricity and weater failure and later some associated sickness. Isa, Fiji. Photos are from Ba and Nadi areas.