Fiji is prepared if another cyclone hits, says the director of National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), Akapusi Tuifagalele.

The new cyclone season is only eight days away. It ends on April 30, 2017.

According to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport cyclones can form in months outside this period. The peak period for cyclones in the region is usually from January to March.

The Fiji Meteorological Services comes under the ministry.

For this cyclone season, it is expected that the Pacific region will have between five to seven cyclones, with three to five predicted to reach Category 3 and one to two predicted to reach Category 4 or Category 5 status.

In regards to Fiji, we expect as many as two to three tropical cyclones to pass our waters this season, with one anticipated to reach Category 3 or above.

Mr Tuifagalele NDMO and stakeholders in Government and outside, especially non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) and the Fiji Red Cross Society are working towards providing awareness and preparedness in communities.

“The Disaster Management Act and Plan will be revised to modernise approach to natural disaster and climate change where an inclusive approach will be taken on board for all stakeholders. Private sector participation is included to ensure a safe and resilient Fiji,” said Mr Tuifagalele.

In regards to food rations, Mr Tuifagalele said this had ceased since ‘we are now transitioning to rehabilitation and early recovery’.

“Vegetable seedlings and kumala (sweet potato) cuttings provided by the Ministry of Agriculture during relief periods should by now be harvested and used as a window to bridge cropping assistance building up to food security,” he said.

He said communities must show their resilience by bouncing back with planting and harvesting as months progressed.

He said if another cyclone hit Fiji, food security and shelter would be worst affected.

“Community safety net is very helpful during crisis like Winston where families and clans pool their resources to assist each other when their rehabilitation is slow,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fiji has also been declared a Sendai Target Champion in Disaster Risk Reduction by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) in Geneva.

This was revealed yesterday by the Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Joeli Cawaki, while opening the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction at Holiday Inn Suva.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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