Nadi businesses close amid heavy rain, flooding

Businesses in Nadi were affected by severe weather linked to Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Urmil, the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) says.

Although the cyclone did not make landfall, it brought heavy rain and strong winds, causing flash flooding in several low‑lying areas.

NCCI president Lawrence Kumar said many businesses prioritised the safety of employees over operations and closed today.

“Keeping safety in mind and taking precautionary measures, the majority of businesses decided not to operate today,” he said.

“It was also a Sunday. Businesses had to consider the safety of employees travelling to work and the security of their properties. Some opted not to operate, and I fully supported that move. It was a wise decision, allowing employees to remain safely at home with their families.”

Mr Kumar said businesses would decide in the coming days whether to reopen, depending on the Fiji Meteorological Service forecast.

“If an all‑clear is given tomorrow, each business owner will carry out their own assessment to see if it is feasible and viable to reopen,” he said.

“It is at the discretion of business owners and operators to decide, based on their internal assessments.”

Meanwhile, there was no major business‑related infrastructure damage recorded, including in Sigatoka, said Nadroga‑Navosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Suresh Naidu.