TECHNICAL experts from across the Pacific are meeting in Nadi this week to strengthen regional capacity to forecast floods and ensure warnings reach communities and decision-makers in time to act.
The Early Warning System for Floods (EWS-F) Implementation training at the Nalagi Hotel brings together representatives from national meteorological and hydrological services from six Pacific countries.
Fiji Meteorological Service director Misaeli Funaki said stronger flood warnings depended on having reliable information and the technical capacity to turn that information into forecasts that people could use.
“Effective flood early warning is about more than rainfall and river observations,” Mr Funaki said.
“We need reliable data, good forecasting systems, strong technical capacity, and most importantly, clear and timely information that enables people and decision-makers to take action.”
The training is part of the Pacific early warning system for floods project, which supports the global ‘early warnings for all’ initiative.
For Fiji, the program also supports work in the Ba catchment, which has been selected as one of two Pacific pilot areas for operational impact-based flood forecasting.
The Ba pilot will bring together hydrological observations, data management, numerical modelling, and forecasting tools to improve understanding of potential flood impacts and strengthen warning services.
