Parliament

Storm surge model to give real time information

May 29, 2020 11:40 am

Minister for Meteorological Services Jone Usamate. [File Photo]

Thousands of people living along coastlines will now be able to get real-time information on possible storm surges.

Minister for Meteorological Services Jone Usamate says the latest development at the weather office is a storm surge model first tested during tropical cyclone Harold.

Usamate says while the Center continues upgrading the use of radar to track cyclones, they have also considered the threats of storm surges to the thousands of villages and settlements along the coastline.

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“With storm surge model in place, alerts and warning issued to coastal communities can be disseminated with confidence and the development of critical infrastructure along or near the coast can be tailored to accommodate the wave height prediction produce by the model.”

Storm surges exist as a cyclone passes, and Usamate says since Fiji is prone to natural disasters these surges are no exception.