The Fiji Police Force has issued a stern warning, emphasizing their commitment to taking action against individuals who fail to adhere to weather advisories.

Chief of Operations, ACP Livai Driu, stresses that past experiences during natural disasters have revealed a tendency to disregard advisories, leading to additional challenges for law enforcement in ensuring safety.

ACP Driu states that the police force has activated routine standby teams across the country, with personnel on standby to respond as needed.

He highlights that disobedience of lawful orders, such as venturing into flooded areas against advisories, has prompted the force to take action against those individuals.

“In a few cases that we have taken in people for disobedience of lawful order in terms of being in flooded areas, and they still insist to come, those are some of the actions that we are going to take.”

As Fiji anticipates the intensification of Tropical Depression 02F into a cyclone over the next 48 hours, ACP Driu emphasizes the crucial importance of Fijians listening to weather advisories and remaining vigilant.

He calls for continued preparedness and safety measures, urging the public to stay on alert.

“For the Fiji police force, we have activated our routine standby teams. That is, to be on alert and vigilant for the next 48 to 72 hours on our monitoring and also on standby. What we have gathered from the Fiji Met this morning that have collected more rainfall in the last 48 hours and we have these position teams in all the divisions to look into flood prone areas to monitor them and provide assistance if they are required.”

The Fiji Police Force has positioned teams in all divisions to monitor flood-prone areas and provide assistance as required.

ACP Driu underscores the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for collective responsibility in ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens.