Fiji's National Disaster Management Office is also closely monitoring current El Nino event and the impact it can have on the approaching cyclone season.
Acting Director of the National Disaster Management Office Akapusi Tuifagalele says following the 1997 drought, the country had experienced a series of natural disasters.
“That is one of the issues that we are actually looking into knowing that for what happened in 1997 & 1998 it was broken by a tropical cyclones, followed by flooding. We are hoping that is not going to happen for us during this season but it may,” said Akapusi Tuifagalele, acting Director NDMO.
The NDMO has contingency plans in place to respond to other natural disasters that can be caused by the El Nino event.
“Our preparation now at this office to ensure that we cover both for drought and also for tropical cyclones and flooding if it happens during our wet season which begins in November. According to the forecast from the Fiji Meteorological office this dry spell may continue until early next year, so either way we are also preparing slowly to ensure that we are prepared when it comes to a change if we have to move from drought into a tropical cyclone or flood if it happens,” said Tuifagalele.