The Ba town during the recent flooding [Source: Ba Town Council/Facebook]

Minister for National Disaster Sakiasi Ditoka stresses the critical need to establish a dedicated drainage board in response to the recent flooding crisis in parts of the Western Division.

Ditoka says the initiative aims to comprehensively address the longstanding challenges posed by flooding, particularly in areas such as Nadi and Ba.

During his on-site visits to several flood-affected areas, Ditoka states the importance of firsthand assessment to grasp the severity of the situation.

Witnessing the impact of flooding directly, he reiterates the urgency of implementing effective measures to mitigate future occurrences.

“This is a really huge issue for us, I mean for all of us, that we need to really sit down together and see how we can fix this. I mean all this long period of rain is really exposing all that. I believe in a way. It doesn’t seem to be a blessing, but it’s a blessing I believe in a way. In that it’s showing us all the places that we should be fixing.”

Highlighting the forthcoming agency meeting, Ditoka shared plans to convene stakeholders to brainstorm and formulate proposals geared towards flood mitigation strategies.

He says this collaborative effort aims to harness expertise from various sectors to devise comprehensive and practical solutions tailored to the specific needs of affected areas.

During his visits, the Minister also received briefings on the ground, gaining insights into the contributing factors exacerbating the flooding crisis.

He visited some affected areas in Ba, Nadi and Sigatoka.