Fiji is among many countries utilizing the Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS), as noted by Hwirin Kim, head of the World Meteorological Organization’s Hydrological and Water Resources Division Services Department. During the Pacific Early Warning System for Floods and Flash Flooding Guidance System meeting at the Novotel Hotel in Nadi, Ms. Kim praised Fiji for being highly effective in using the flood system, alongside 73 other countries.
The FFGS is a crucial tool for forecasting and managing flash floods, which are among the world’s deadliest natural disasters. It was created to address the lack of capacity for developing effective flash flood warnings and provides real-time guidance to meteorological and hydrological forecasters. Ms. Kim highlighted that Fiji is the only country in the Pacific using this system.
“They implement it and are working with the National Disaster Management Office, sharing all the information not only in English but also in local languages. They use it to issue warnings to the public,” Kim stated. “Fiji serves as a good example for other islands to learn from, being the leading country among the Pacific islands.”
Fiji has not yet been designated as the FFGS business center in the Pacific, although it is a strong candidate to become the regional center for FFGS Pacific.
The focus of the meeting includes a project on early warning systems for floods, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Sezin Tokar, a senior hydrometeorological hazard advisor at USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Reduction, emphasized the importance of the project, stating that early warnings save lives, reduce suffering, and mitigate the economic impact of disasters.