- INTELLIGENT RESISTANCE -
Free. Fair. Fearless. Intelligentsiya is made up of Fiji Islanders who are libertarians in their own way and who cherish the free flow of news, ideas and information and will peacefully resist any attempts by the country's military rulers to stifle free speech. intelligentsiya will also bear witness, report and discuss human rights abuses by the authorities.
April 02, 2012
April 01, 2012
The Australian: Power cuts add to Fiji flood disaster
From: AAP April 01, 2012 7:42PM
PEOPLE on the main Fijian island of Viti Levu are now dealing with a severe power cut as well as heavy flooding.
A state of natural disaster has been declared for most of Fiji's Western Division due to the floods, which have killed at least three people and forced thousands into evacuation centres.
The Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) later said power was cut after a power transmitter fell into a river due to a landslide, Fiji Village website reported.
FEA chief executive Hasmukh Patel said a schedule for rotating blackouts would be formulated under which most industries get power during the day and domestic users in the evening.
Disaster Management Centre director Pajiliai Doubi told the website there were nearly 8000 people in 96 evacuation centres.
Three people had died and another three were missing, he said.
Incoming flights to Nadi international airport had stopped and by tonight scheduled Air Pacific flights out of Nadi to Auckland, Melbourne and Honolulu were cancelled.
In addition, an empty Air New Zealand Boeing 747 flight scheduled to land today to fly stranded passengers out of Fiji had to turn back due to bad weather.
An Air New Zealand spokesman said it was hoped a plane could land tomorrow.
The state of natural disaster zone is for most of Fiji's Western Division, including the Lautoka, Nadi, Tavua, Ba, Nadroga and Navosa districts.
Fiji's Central Division was also at risk, in particular the town of Nausori.
Meanwhile, a tropical cyclone alert has been issued by Fiji's Meteorological Service and a strong wind warning remains.
It said a depression moving southeast is expected to intensify and possibly become a tropical cyclone in the next 24 to 36 hours, bringing gale-force winds.
Also possible are periods of heavy rain and squally thunderstorms, as well as flooding of rivers, streams and low-lying areas.
PEOPLE on the main Fijian island of Viti Levu are now dealing with a severe power cut as well as heavy flooding.
A state of natural disaster has been declared for most of Fiji's Western Division due to the floods, which have killed at least three people and forced thousands into evacuation centres.
The Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) later said power was cut after a power transmitter fell into a river due to a landslide, Fiji Village website reported.
FEA chief executive Hasmukh Patel said a schedule for rotating blackouts would be formulated under which most industries get power during the day and domestic users in the evening.
Disaster Management Centre director Pajiliai Doubi told the website there were nearly 8000 people in 96 evacuation centres.
Three people had died and another three were missing, he said.
Incoming flights to Nadi international airport had stopped and by tonight scheduled Air Pacific flights out of Nadi to Auckland, Melbourne and Honolulu were cancelled.
In addition, an empty Air New Zealand Boeing 747 flight scheduled to land today to fly stranded passengers out of Fiji had to turn back due to bad weather.
An Air New Zealand spokesman said it was hoped a plane could land tomorrow.
The state of natural disaster zone is for most of Fiji's Western Division, including the Lautoka, Nadi, Tavua, Ba, Nadroga and Navosa districts.
Fiji's Central Division was also at risk, in particular the town of Nausori.
Meanwhile, a tropical cyclone alert has been issued by Fiji's Meteorological Service and a strong wind warning remains.
It said a depression moving southeast is expected to intensify and possibly become a tropical cyclone in the next 24 to 36 hours, bringing gale-force winds.
Also possible are periods of heavy rain and squally thunderstorms, as well as flooding of rivers, streams and low-lying areas.
Radio NZ: Fiji floods could be made worse by cyclone
Updated at 7:03 pm today
Hundreds of tourists have been stranded in Fiji by the effects of widespread flooding, and authorities say more heavy rain is forecast for the next two days.
Permanent Secretary for Information Sharon Johns says officials are worried about a further deterioration in the weather over the next 12 hours.
"There is a tropical depression forming at the moment which could have a possibility of turning to a tropical cyclone," she told the ABC. "That's going to be our next threat".
River levels are already as high as disastrous floods in 2009 and emergency workers are preparing for worse weather to come.
The island nation's interim government temporarily halted passenger flights into the country as floodwaters that closed the main road to the island's international airport left arriving passengers with no way of reaching their hotels or resorts.
On Sunday, there were 6800 evacuees in 56 evacuation centres in Fiji's Western Division, the Fiji Village news website reported.
All inbound Air Pacific flights were cancelled on Sunday.
Air New Zealand says the continuing bad weather in Fiji has forced it to cancel an evening flight that would have collected stranded passengers.
It says the next empty flight to Fiji is scheduled to leave at 10.30am on Monday.
Australian officials said they were in regular contact with Fiji's disaster management office to confirm the whereabouts and safety of tourists, and on this side of the Tasman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff say New Zealand is ready to help if needed, though Fiji has not so far requested assistance.
Two people have been confirmed dead, with one man killed when he was trapped in his car by floods and another swept away in a creek.
Big damage bill
Meteorologist Neville Koop told the ABC that the damage bill is likely to be in the millions: "We've seen very significant infrastructure damage," he says.
"Unlike the floods in January, where we did have some notice of them coming and people in and around Nadi especially had the chance to move goods and property beforehand, in this case it's just caught everybody by surprise and so the level of damage is just going to be tremendous."
The six-day deluge in January claimed 11 lives.
Hundreds of tourists have been stranded in Fiji by the effects of widespread flooding, and authorities say more heavy rain is forecast for the next two days.
Permanent Secretary for Information Sharon Johns says officials are worried about a further deterioration in the weather over the next 12 hours.
"There is a tropical depression forming at the moment which could have a possibility of turning to a tropical cyclone," she told the ABC. "That's going to be our next threat".
River levels are already as high as disastrous floods in 2009 and emergency workers are preparing for worse weather to come.
The island nation's interim government temporarily halted passenger flights into the country as floodwaters that closed the main road to the island's international airport left arriving passengers with no way of reaching their hotels or resorts.
On Sunday, there were 6800 evacuees in 56 evacuation centres in Fiji's Western Division, the Fiji Village news website reported.
All inbound Air Pacific flights were cancelled on Sunday.
Air New Zealand says the continuing bad weather in Fiji has forced it to cancel an evening flight that would have collected stranded passengers.
It says the next empty flight to Fiji is scheduled to leave at 10.30am on Monday.
Australian officials said they were in regular contact with Fiji's disaster management office to confirm the whereabouts and safety of tourists, and on this side of the Tasman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff say New Zealand is ready to help if needed, though Fiji has not so far requested assistance.
Two people have been confirmed dead, with one man killed when he was trapped in his car by floods and another swept away in a creek.
Big damage bill
Meteorologist Neville Koop told the ABC that the damage bill is likely to be in the millions: "We've seen very significant infrastructure damage," he says.
"Unlike the floods in January, where we did have some notice of them coming and people in and around Nadi especially had the chance to move goods and property beforehand, in this case it's just caught everybody by surprise and so the level of damage is just going to be tremendous."
The six-day deluge in January claimed 11 lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)