Saturday Briefing

By Darren Shaw

As many of our ‘ohana would have read in the media, Fiji has experienced the worst floods in 50 years. The flooding has primarily affected the northern and western regions of the main island of Viti Levu, including Nadi, where the main international airport is located.  A number of outer islands have also been affected.Starting last weekend, a deep low weather system generated monsoonal rains over a short time, which was worsened by high tides, leaving many local villagers and business operators with severe losses to their livelihoods and homes.

A large-scale clean-up operation has now begun, as the weather starts to improve.

Fortunately, the Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji’s location on the Coral Coast, which is approximately 40 miles (80km) south of Nadi, has left us relatively unscathed, with no flood damage recorded.

We have extensive flood mitigation systems in place, including a large seawall and our primary concern has

been ensuring the safety and comfort of our guests and staff. The main issue we have faced, together with all Coral Coast resorts, has been transferring guests to and from Nadi International Airport, due to road access cut by the floods.

A dedicated weather briefing centre was set-up in our boardroom, providing guests with three daily weather updates, phone and Internet access to travel agents, airlines and latest news, together with updates from local tour and transfer operators regarding traveling conditions.

Transfers took place at times deemed by authorities to be safe for guests, and the worst seems to be over, with roads now open.

The past few days have been a challenge for Outrigger and our sister property at Castaway Island, and we are very concerned for the welfare of our staff and their families, many of whom have experienced loss of property and possessions from the floods.

Both Outrigger on the Lagoon - Fiji and Castaway Island Resort will be providing assistance to our staff affected by the floods in every way possible, and I would like to personally commend them all for their unwavering support provided to our guests over these challenging past few days.