Despite repeated warnings before monster storm Tropical Cyclone Winston hit our shores, a number of people ignored weather advisories, says director Fiji Meteorological Services Ravindra Kumar.

Hence, a three-day media workshop was organised by the Fiji Meteorological Services and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) for media organisations to chart the way forward on weather and climate reporting.

The workshop, which was held at the Fiji Meteorological Services office in Suva, ended yesterday.

Mr Kumar said their objective was to partner with media organisations to ensure that all information they released from their office was received as widely as possible.

Discussions had also taken place about how a number of students were photographed swimming in flooded creeks and rivers as the weather office continued to issue warning about Tropical Cyclone Winston, coming back as a stronger force.

Mr Kumar said he was happy with the manner the media had reported alerts and advisories, but he hoped that information reaches out to the rural community as quickly and clearly as possible.

The three-day workshop also had a session where technical meteorological terms was translated in simple English, iTaukei and Hindustani so that information is clear and concise.

Mr Kumar shared that people had taken more heed of weather warnings during a tropical disturbance which followed Tropical Cyclone Winston.

He has urged the media to work with his office to get the weather message out to everyone.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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