The Fiji Times – 05 August 2019
THE Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project in Fiji (CIFDP) can be used to monitor and detect tsunami and cyclone wave forecasts in the future.
This was highlighted by Pacific Community’s team leader Oceanography Geoscience Energy Maritime Division Herve Damlamian who also heads the CIFDP research team.
Mr Damlamian said the CIFDP was an early warning system for wave flooding and it was currently being trialled along the Coral Coast at Maui Bay just outside Sigatoka.
“In Fiji, especially along the Coral Coast, you will get some flooding,” Mr Damlamian said.
“Take for example when big waves that come in and flood the coastal areas despite no storms or cyclones, “So this is an event that happened sometime back in 2010, 2011 and twice last year and it is quite a recurrent event.
“So SPC worked in partnership with the Fiji Meteorological Service and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for this project.
“Our team looked at developing an innovative forecast system that will be able to forecast seven days in advance these types of inundation events and this system is tailored to the resources which are currently available at the Fiji Meteorological Service.”
He said the CIFDP was a demonstration project which started three years ago.
