FIJI: Tropical cyclone takes authorities by surprise
Updated
A tropical cyclone has battered Fiji, causing flooding, blackouts and the deaths of at least three people. After the clean-up will come another assessment - why Tropical Cyclone Gene took authorities by surprise.
Presenter: Bo Hill
Speakers: Pajiliai Dobui, Disaster Management Office in Fiji
DOBUI: We were not really ready for it since the hurricane just developed all of a sudden and then we were caught off balance when it struck. I'm not sure what our Met office in Nadi will say. This one really follow a pattern that is quite different from the pattern that we normally follow. It is quite unique in a way. The last time our Met offices in Nadi have said the last one that we had, which one was that the Damon, the one for Damon was really different from the model that we normally have. For this one, I think we will have the same thing to. It is quite unique and different from the patterns we normally follow.
HILL: How much damage has Gene done?
DOBUI: Fortunately for us, the damage is not as much. The worst that we have been experiencing for the last 24 hours has been flooding and a few landslide, not big ones, just minor ones. And most of the floodings was also due to high tide that we're also experiencing as spring tide and right now it should be going to low tide, so we're hoping that that should bring a lot of relief to Nadi and Ba. Let's hope if the hurricane doesn't turn back our way, then the worst I think for us will be over for now. Then the biggest problem we have is water. We're still trying to restore all our electricity supply for our media centres and especially for office buildings and schools.
HILL: Can you give an estimate of the number of people affected by the lack of water?
DOBUI: It's quite a lot. I think the whole of the Suva, the greater Suvan also area, the Awa area, since the whole of Suva, now even the Western region already all closed down, and majority of these, the water supply for these areas, is powered by electricity. And right now, most of the electricity is still down because of, even though power has been restored, some of the broken lines, especially to these rural areas are still to be restored.
HILL: Is there a time frame for getting that power back?
DOBUI: We have been assured by our FEA that our major emergency areas, like hospitals is almost fully restored now, for Suva, for Lambasa and for the Western division is almost to the full. But that doesn't cover for those that are still down, because of broken power lines. Teams from the military, and the FEA are still working on clearing these power lines so that electricity can be restored for these areas.
HIILL: Do you know or have there been any reports of people hurt by the cyclone?
DOBUI: So far we have received two deaths, one from a house that was burnt because as a consequence of the hurricane, and the other one we're still yet to ascertain the cause of death.
HILL: And what about the two that were apparently electrocuted?
DOBUI: Yes, for those two yesterday, the electrocution was more or less a cause of negligence on their part, so it's not really related to the hurricane.
HILL: What's your cause of action at the office over the rest of today and tomorrow?
DOBUI: We will be giving the clear sense again to schools and as well as offices to open when the sign is clear from our Met office in Nadi. And we are making arrangements with our National Fire Authority as well as with our military and with our water department for the supply of water.
