By NETANI RIKA
FIJI’s north and west has been warned to brace for flooding over the next three days as a tropical disturbance emerges from the far
northwest of the group.
A flood alert has been issue for low-lying areas in the Western and Northern Divisions along rivers and streams.
Water levels at monitoring stations near the towns of Labasa and
Rakiraki are reported to be rising,
Meanwhile the tropical disturbance identified as TD13F could develop in a tropical depression over the next 24 hours and then intensify into a
cyclone.
The National Weather Forecasting Centre at Nadi International Airport will continue to monitor the system as well as a trough of low pressure
which exists over Fiji.
Northern areas of Fiji have been warned to expect heavy rain, squally thunderstorms and possible flash flooding in the next 12-24 hours. The
rest of the country can expect heavy rain.
Residents have been advised to take precautions well ahead of the advancing trough of low pressure and the tropical disturbance.
This is a developing story and we will keep you updated.
FLOOD ALERT
A FLOOD ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR LOW LYING AREAS, SMALL STREAMS AND AREAS
ADJACENT TO THE REST OF THE MAJOR RIVERS OF VANUALEVU, TAVEUNI AND THE
WESTERN DIVISION.
LEVEL AT VATUKACEVACEVA STATION WAS 1.00M AT 9.00AM WHICH IS AT ALERT LEVEL
AND INCREASING.
LEVEL AT DREKETILAILAI WAS 1.84M AT 9.00AM WHICH IS 0.2M BELOW WARNING
LEVEL AND INCREASING.
LEVEL AT QAWA BRIDGE WAS 2.26M AT 9.00AM WHICH IS 1.09M BELOW ALERT LEVEL
AND INCREASING.
Tropical Cyclone SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN NUMBER EIGHTY
THREE FOR FIJI ON HEAVY RAIN ISSUED FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE, NADI AT 9:30 AM ON FRIDAY 6TH
APRIL 2018.
A HEAVY RAIN WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR WESTERN
DIVISION, YASAWA AND MAMANUCA GROUP, VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI
AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS, LOMAIVITI AND NORTHERN LAU
GROUP.
A HEAVY RAIN ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF FIJI.
SITUATION:
AN ACTIVE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WITH ASSOCIATED CLOUD
AND RAIN REMAINS SLOW MOVING OVER FIJI.
MEANWHILE, TROPICAL DISTURBANCE TD13F [1002HPA] WAS
ANALYSED TO THE FAR NORTHWEST OF FIJI AT 9 AM TODAY. IT IS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP INTO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION BY SATURDAY
AND POSSIBLY INTENSIFY FURTHER INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE AS IT
MOVES TOWARDS FIJI AND BRING ABOUT STRONG TO DAMAGING
GALE FORCE WINDS WITH HEAVY RAIN OVER THE GROUP.
FORECAST FOR YASAWA GROUP, VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY
SMALLER ISLANDS AND NORTHERN LAU GROUP:
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS.
LOCALISED HEAVY FALLS MAY LEAD TO FLOODING.
FOR MAMANUCA GROUP, WESTERN DIVISION AND LOMAIVITI GROUP:
PERIODS OF RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES AND FEW SQUALLY
THUNDERSTORMS. RAIN BECOMING FREQUENTLY HEAVY WITH
SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATER TODAY.
LOCALISED HEAVY FALLS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING.
FOR REST OF FIJI:
OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND FEW THUNDERSTORMS. SHOWERS
INCREASING TO RAIN AND BECOMING FREQUENT AND HEAVY FROM
LATER TODAY.
LOCALISED HEAVY FALLS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING.
FLOOD ALERTS REMAINS IN FORCE FOR PARTS OF FIJI. FOR MORE
INFORMATION REFER TO http://www.met.gov.fj/aifs_prods/20016.txt
