The revelation that storm surges could displace Fijians over the next 20 years from their homes is interesting.
This comes off new data released by Switzerland-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) three days ago.
IDMC forecasts cyclones will displace an average of 2076 Fijians annually and 65,000 in the next 50 years from their homes. As our report on Page 2 today points out, the IDMC has used its global internal displacement database to look at future displacement risk associated with natural disasters in Fiji.
Storm surges, it states, represent Fiji’s highest displacement risk. Data it has states cyclonic winds can be expected to displace an average of 2076 a year. It highlights the possibility of wind speeds greater than 230km/h hitting some of our outlying islands in the future. It also warned of the possibility of earthquakes displacing people.
Viti Levu, it pointed out, is in a seismically active area of the Fiji Platform, and the Fiji-Tonga region accounts for about 70 per cent of the world’s earthquakes with depths greater than 400km. We have also been reminded that we are vulnerable to tsunamis and that it could displace people at some point in the next 50 years.
The scenarios are actually quite gloomy. However, the data does allow us to prepare for any eventuality, and be aware of such forecasts. Understandably there would be some concern over the data though. In saying that, we are also reminded about the fact that we are heading into our annual cyclone season which runs from November through to April. We just have to reflect on Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston to remind ourselves about the power of natural disasters.
It was in February, 2016 that Winston basically changed the way we should be looking at natural disasters. No one would have thought about the impact a Category 5 system such as Winston could have on our nation. Winston tore into us in a blaze of fury and power.
In its wake, this mega storm left behind a trail of destruction that Fijians had never experienced before. Just a day after the cyclone swept through us, the official line at the time, was that five people had died in the wake of Winston’s severe beating of many parts of Fiji. In the end, 44 people died.
The power Winston unleashed on the country was shocking and frightening. Picking up strength after Tonga, Winston developed into a massive Category 5 system.
At first the projected path curved through the Lau Group and pointed to the southwest of Viti Levu. It was expected to pass pretty close to the Capital City. But Winston had other ideas. Picking up power, Winston moved straight to the West, cutting through Lau, Lomaiviti, and brushed over Ra before curving down south again.
It flattened houses, uprooted trees, left roof-less homes, caused flooding, frightened people, and there were deaths. In the face of this latest revelation by the IDMC, we must remind ourselves about the impact of such natural disasters. We must be prepared.
