Fiji pushes for impact-based early warnings to combat weather hazards

Fiji must enhance its early warning systems to effectively protect citizens from tropical cyclones, floods, storm surges, and droughts, according to the Ministry of Public Works. Acting Deputy Secretary Operations Mikaele Belena highlighted the nation's vulnerability to a wide range of weather-related hazards, which frequently cause severe flooding, damage infrastructure, disrupt agriculture, and lead to loss of life.

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Fiji needs to strengthen its early warning systems to ensure people can act before tropical cyclones, floods, storm surges and droughts because serious damage

Belena emphasized the need for a people-centered, multi-hazard early warning system. Such a system would provide timely and clear information, enabling individuals and communities to make informed decisions and take action before disaster strikes. The critical shift, he noted, is moving beyond merely forecasting the weather to explaining its potential impacts.

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the focus must shift from simply forecasting what the weather will be to explaining what the weather will do

Impact-based forecasting, Belena explained, integrates hazard information with data on exposure and vulnerability. This allows for the identification of at-risk areas and the issuance of targeted warnings that prompt early action. The recent mapping of urban flood hotspots in Suva and Lami serves as a crucial foundation for developing these impact-based forecasts by pinpointing areas repeatedly susceptible to flooding.

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impact-based forecasting combines hazard information with exposure and vulnerability data to identify areas at risk and issue targeted warnings that encourage early action

The upcoming Weather Ready Nation Workshop will convene various warning agencies and stakeholders. The goal is to bolster coordination and develop practical tools and processes that support risk-informed decision-making. The initiative is supported by the U.S. State Department, the National Weather Service, and the Hydrologic Research Centre.

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the Weather Ready Nation Workshop will bring warning agencies and stakeholders together to strengthen coordination and develop tools and processes that support risk-informed action