Police have increased their presence in Suva City tonight to deter opportunists.
There are police officers that have set up exit and entry points into Suva City.
Police are encouraging people to stay indoors and only move for essential reasons because of the current weather situation.
Officers are also patrolling other towns.
A resident of Waqadra in Nadi, Avneel Abhishay says there is flash flooding in parts of Nadi Town.
He says he can see that the water level in the Votualevu river increased since this morning.
Abhishay says the parts of the town flooded include parts of the Nadi Bus Stand, the Nadi Market and the Temple roundabout.
He says they have moved their household items to an elevated area and have moved to a safer place.
A 35-year-old man was swept away by strong currents while trying to cross the Mataniwai river in Tavua this morning.
National Disaster Management Office Director Vasiti Soko says this incident occurred at 11am today.
She says this is the first Tropical Depression 03F related death they have recorded.
Soko adds this is a wake-up call to every Fijian that flooding kills.
She says people disregard their advisory but statistics show that majority of deaths recorded during natural disasters are from drowning as a result of people crossing flooded rivers and creeks.
More to follow
The Ba River has burst its bank and there is now widespread flooding in Ba Town.
Rajendra supermarket staff, Roneel Prakash says floodwaters have entered the Ba Market, Newworld Supermarket, RC Manubhai, Rups Big Bear, Shop N Save Supermarket and other small shops.
He says there is about two feet of water and it is steadily rising.
A resident of Yalalevu in Ba Mani Ram says if it continues to rain, floodwaters could enter his home later in the evening.
Ram says he lives very close to the Ba river and can see the water level rising.
He adds his family of four is safe but he has taken all the precautions and has moved furniture and other important household items to higher ground.
Ram says they will move to his friend’s house if the situation gets worse.
There continues to be reports of widespread flooding in parts of Rakiraki, Ba, Tavua and Nadi, and with the more rain expected overnight people are being urged to secure their homes and know their evacuation centres.
Please move to higher ground if you live in a low lying or flood prone area.
There is now a Tropical Cyclone Warning in force for the whole of Fiji.
The Weather Office is also saying that major town centres in Nadi, Ba, Rakiraki and Tavua are at high risk of severe flooding.
There is now a severe flood warning in force for low lying areas near the Nakauvadra river in Rakiraki, Nasivi river in Tavua, Sabeto river in Nadi, Yaqara and Nananu rivers and the Nawaka river in Nadi.
A flood alert is in force for low lying areas near major rivers in Viti Levu.
These include the Nadi, Navua, Rewa, Wainibuka, Sigatoka, Waimanu, Waidina and Waibula rivers.
There is also a flood alert for low lying areas near major rivers in Vanua Levu.
They are the Labasa, Qawa, Wailevu, Wainikoro, Bucaisau, Dreketi, Sorowaqa, Lekutu, Dama, Wainunu, Nasekawa and Yanawai rivers.
According to the Weather Office, the water levels at all these rivers are fluctuating in response to rainfall received and tidal changes but with more rain expected the risk of the river banks breaking and flooding is very high
According to the Weather Office, the water levels at all these rivers are fluctuating in response to rainfall received and tidal changes but with more rain expected the risk of the river banks breaking and flooding is very high
The Ba River has burst its bank and there is now widespread flooding in Ba Town.
Rajendra supermarket staff, Roneel Prakash says floodwaters have entered the Ba Market, Newworld Supermarket, RC Manubhai, Rups Big Bear, Shop N Save Supermarket and other small shops.
He says there is about two feet of water and it is steadily rising.
A resident of Yalalevu in Ba Mani Ram says if it continues to rain, floodwaters could enter his home later in the evening.
Ram says he lives very close to the Ba river and can see the water level rising.
He adds his family of four is safe but he has taken all the precautions and has moved furniture and other important household items to higher ground.
Ram says they will move to his friend’s house if the situation gets worse.
A resident of Waqadra in Nadi, Avneel Abhishay says there is flash flooding in parts of Nadi Town.
He says he can see that the water level in the Votualevu river increased since this morning.
Abhishay says the parts of the town flooded include parts of the Nadi Bus Stand, the Nadi Market and the Temple roundabout.
He says they have moved their household items to an elevated area and have moved to a safer place.
Parts of the Western Division that are still without power should expect the same situation for the next few days as Energy Fiji Limited says it is not safe to send their teams out for inspection at this stage.
Those in the Western Division that have power at the moment are being supplied through Energy Fiji Limited's thermal generation.
We have asked EFL CEO Hasmukh Patel if they are considering rotating the supply of power to affected areas in the Western Division.
He says they have been considering that from this morning and are working out a schedule.
Patel adds the problem is they have a couple of their generator sets that were out for maintenance and they are trying to get some of them back online.
He further says that if they are able to get them online by later this evening then they intend to go into a rotating schedule where they could supply an area for a few hours and then switch to allow people to charge their appliances.
Acting Director of the Fiji Meteorological Services Terry Atalifo says Tropical Depression 03F is likely to develop into a cyclone in the next 6 to 12 hours.
Please secure your homes and properties and know your evacuation centres as there is now a Tropical Cyclone warning for the whole of Fiji.
Tropical Depression 03F continues to move slowly and track towards the country.
TD03F was located 280 kilometres west southwest of Nadi at 9am today.
It is expected to pass 180 kilometres southwest of Nadi at 9 tonight.
TD03F is moving very slowly.
Please note that damaging winds are likely to begin a few hours before the cyclone centre passes nearby.
You should expect strong winds to increase to damaging gale force winds from later today if you live in the Western parts of Viti Levu, Kadavu, Vanua Levu, Yasawa and Mamanuca Group.
Winds of this strength can cause significant damage to houses of very light materials or unshielded structures with blown roofs in exposed communities, damage power lines and disrupt communication networks, damage plants and crops, break twigs of small trees and cause disruption to transport.
There will be continuous heavy rain when TD03F moves closer.
With the soil already saturated from rainfall in the last couple of days, there is a high risk of landslides and flooding of rivers, streams and creeks, flood-prone and low lying areas.
There is also a risk of lightning strikes during thunderstorms.
From today, very rough seas with significant wave heights of about four to five metres are expected over northern Vanua Levu waters, Yasawa and Mamanuca waters, Viti Levu waters and Vatu-i-Ra and Kadavu passages.
If you live along the coastal areas especially in the Western Division, Yasawa and Mamanuca Group, please stay alert for possible coastal inundation, especially during high tide. Semi
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