Four villages in the Cuvu District of Fiji—Cuvu, Yadua, Tore, and Rukurukulevu—have officially been recognized as Tsunami Ready under the UNESCO/IOC Recognition Programme. This significant certification is the result of dedicated preparedness efforts spearheaded by the National Disaster Risk Management Office and the Mineral Resources Department, with valuable operational support from the International Organization for Migration.
To achieve this certification, the villages underwent a comprehensive evaluation, which included a full-scale tsunami drill and the installation of essential informational signboards throughout Sigatoka. With the addition of these four villages, Fiji now boasts six Tsunami Ready-certified communities, all located within the Sigatoka coastal corridor.
The new Tsunami Ready communities successfully met 12 mandatory indicators, which encompassed crucial elements such as hazard assessments, evacuation mapping, and emergency planning. The practical application of these efforts was demonstrated through a live drill involving over 400 residents. This exercise, funded by the Government of Japan’s Early Warning Systems Project, assessed warning communications and the coordination of first responders via a temporary emergency operations center established at Geckos Resort.
UNESCO Programme Officer Jiuta Korovulavula highlighted that the positive impact of this achievement extends beyond merely meeting compliance standards. It signifies a growing commitment to enhancing disaster preparedness and fostering effective community-level early warning systems across Fiji’s coastal areas, ultimately contributing to a safer and more resilient environment for its residents.
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