Search operations continued yesterday for a 65-year-old man presumed to have drowned in the Northern Division following severe weather conditions. The incident occurred at Cogea Village on Monday afternoon, where it is reported that the elderly man was swept away by strong currents while attempting to cross a swollen river near his home.
Local villagers attempted to locate him, but their search was fruitless, compounded by police difficulties in accessing the area due to flooded roads and river crossings.
In a separate tragedy, authorities recovered the body of a five-year-old foreign national in Sigatoka amidst ongoing heavy rain and flooding affecting various parts of the nation. The child had gone missing near the Biausevu waterfall, and forensics personnel from the Sigatoka Forensics and Criminal Investigations Department transported the victim’s body to the Sigatoka Hospital mortuary.
Heavy rain and flooding continue to be concerns, leading the Fiji Meteorological Service to issue weather bulletins earlier in the week, warning of adverse conditions across the Fiji Group. In light of these events, police have emphasized the importance of heeding weather warnings.
They urged the public to take these warnings seriously for their safety. “Warnings are issued for everyone’s safety and must be taken seriously,” a police spokesperson noted. They also reminded parents and guardians to closely monitor the whereabouts of their children and advised against attempting to cross flooded roads, crossings, or swimming in swollen rivers. Authorities continue to encourage public cooperation in following safety advisories to ensure community well-being amid these challenging weather conditions.
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