The January 2009 Floods. The Worst in Fiji's History

Fiji has just suffered the worst floods in history, and this was not from a tropical cyclone but from only a tropical depression!

Hardly any part of the two main islands were spared, luckely for me my workplace and home were in areas that were spared.

Alisi and I undertook a flood damage assessment of Nadi for a major client, just yesterday.

Alisi points to the flood water mark in this bank in Nadi Town.

We undertook a landslide damage assessment in Savusavu for another major client earlier in the week.

And in a few days we travel to Labasa where major flood damage has been reported.

Seeing the results of the forces of nature at first hand is a sobering experience, but in the towns I visited, I wondered whether more could have been done to mitigate the damages.

I wondered how many shop owners had contingency plans, properly thought out, properly drawn up, properly trained to all staff, and properly written down.

I wondered how many shop owners had put up their shutters.

"THERE WAS NO NEED!" I hear you say. "THERE WAS NO CYCLONE, THERE WERE NO STRONG WINDS!".

Try telling that to some of the shop owners who lost their shop windows from floating debris impact.

Some years ago I was engaged by a major tourist resort to assist them. This resort was built on low lying land on the coast. They had flood damage everytime there was a storm surge.

We fixed their problem.

After developing contingency plans, and training staff, we had sealed shutters constructed, comprising of marine plywood sheets with rubber seals epoxy glued all round the 4 edges.

We had threaded rods epoxied into the walls, located so the ply shutters, with corresponding holes, could be mounted and tightened against the walls with wing nuts.

There were other things we did, including installing sump pits and pumps to take care of what little water did get through.

And it worked! In fact it still works.

Our client is now better protected, and very happy.

Can we help you?

Keep safe

Ray

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