Child’s drowning classified as first fatality of TC Urmil

The drowning of a child swept into a creek in Namoli at Kaleli Settlement, outside Lautoka City, has now been classified as the first death associated with Tropical Cyclone (TC) Urmil.

The incident occurred as the cyclone’s powerful outer rainbands lashed the Western Division late last week, triggering rapid flooding across low‑lying communities.

The update was confirmed during a comprehensive briefing delivered to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the Fiji Meteorological Service office in Nadi on Wednesday.

Although TC Urmil did not make direct landfall over Fiji, its strong winds and intense rainbands battered the Western Division between March 1 and 2, causing widespread flooding, road damage and disruption to power and water supplies.

The briefing confirmed 115 roads were affected, with 27 evacuation centres, including five schools, still active in the Western Division, sheltering 701 evacuees from 142 households.

Fiji Meteorological Service director Misaeli Funaki, Divisional Planning Officer West Eilimi Rokoduru and representatives from the Water Authority of Fiji were among those who updated the Prime Minister on the damage and ongoing relief efforts.

Humanitarian assistance is ongoing, with dignity kits, family care packs and essential supplies being distributed by the ministries of Social Welfare and Health.

The Ministry of Agriculture is also assessing damage to crops, warning of potential food shortages in flood-affected areas.

Mr Rabuka said long-term corrective development planning was necessary to properly address repeated flooding, pointing to silt build-up at river mouths and along coastlines as a key contributing factor.

He stressed the need to strengthen preparedness as natural disasters became increasingly frequent and intense.

Proposed measures include improving drainage systems, dredging rivers, enforcing the Litter Act and stricter enforcement of building codes.

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