Students at Risk Due to Flooded Maururu Bridge

School students are at risk whenever there is heavy rain in Ba.

The challenge lies in the crossing at the Maururu Bridge, which floods whenever there is heavy rain.

In 2017, the bridge collapsed after severe flooding, and culverts have since been used for crossing.

Amit Kumar, a resident, said the former government had promised to build a new bridge, but nothing had been done yet.

He said the crossing had also been used by the Ba Town Council to transport rubbish to the landfill at Maururu. The crossing is located 1 kilometre from Ba Town.

Mr Kumar said more than 1000 people who lived in that area used the crossing.

“There is also a boarding school at Maururu and parents with children find the crossing a challenge,” he said.

“Whenever there is a flood, parents carry their little ones across while the town council cannot cross and dispose of the rubbish.”

Mr Kumar, also the president of Wailagi Crime Watch, said during this adverse weather, the community found it hard to access public services in town.

Flood warning issued

Meanwhile, the Fiji Mereological Services yesterday stated that a flood warning remained in force for flood-prone areas adjacent to and downstream of Ba River.

A flood alert is now in force for flood-prone areas adjacent to and downstream of Nadi River, Sabeto and Nawaka Rivers. A flash flood alert also remains in force for all low-lying, flash flood-prone areas and small streams for the rest of Fiji.

Fiji Met has updated that a trough of low pressure remains slow moving over Fiji with an embedded shallow low-pressure system located just southwest of the group.

The associated clouds and rain are expected to affect the country up to Monday.

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