Director DISMAC Manasa Tagicakibau (right) Briefs the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and stakeholders.
The Minister for National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), Inia Seruiratu has stressed to government officials and other essential services providers to maximise disaster relief efforts in order to mitigate the effects of flooding should the country experience another period of heavy rain.
The Minister was speaking at a briefing to the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama at the NDMO this morning.
“The next 12 – 24 hours will be very interesting, there are chances that the tropical depression will come back on the same path,” Minister Seruiratu said.
“So that leaves us with the short opportunity now to maximise our efforts, whatever needs to be done now in terms of damage assessments, clean ups so that we can minimise the effects of heavy rain if it reoccurs.
“Let’s make use of this window of opportunity.”
Minister Seruiratu added that the key message now was concentration in priority areas.
“You know the priority areas so concentrate on those areas first because that is critical,” Minister Seruiratu said.
Highlighting the need of manpower in the restoration of essential services, Minister Seruiratu said that this can be coordinated through the Director NDMO and the respective divisional commissioners.
The Minister also reminded officials to continue to communicate and coordinate with the NDMO and the divisional commissioners.
MINFO