[Photo Credit: Supplied]

The country is stepping up efforts to tackle increasing urban flooding as the National Disaster Risk Management Office joins a two-day urban flooding and vulnerability mapping workshop in Suva.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening preparedness and building resilience against worsening flood risks.

Acting NDRMO Director Napolioni Boseiwaqa said the workshop was timely, given the rising frequency and severity of urban floods.

“Urban flooding is no longer a rare or isolated event. It is becoming frequent, disruptive, and costly, a visible signal of the deepening seasonal variability crisis. Homes are inundated, businesses are disrupted, roads become impassable, and vulnerable populations bear the heaviest burden.”

The workshop, piloted along the Suva-Lami corridor, seeks to develop a smarter, more integrated approach to flood risk. This includes mapping flood-prone areas, identifying the most vulnerable, assessing at-risk infrastructure, and improving early, equitable, and effective response by communities and authorities.

Boseiwaqa acknowledged the US government for its continued support of Fiji’s resilience initiatives, including investment in early warning systems, data capabilities, and capacity building.

He also commended Fiji Meteorological Services and local partners for their technical expertise and commitment to collective action.

He emphasised the importance of inclusivity in flood response, noting that women, children, persons with disabilities, and those in informal or poorly serviced settlements are disproportionately affected. Communities are not just recipients of aid or warnings; they are our first responders, our risk communicators, and often our most effective resilience builders.

Conducted under the Weather Ready Nation Program, the workshop generated practical solutions from communities to strengthen urban resilience and reduce the impact of growing flood risks.

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