Fiji’s new Meteorological and Hydrological Service Bill of 2024 is improving the country’s ability to predict and monitor natural hazards.

This was highlighted by the Hazard Meteorologist and Disaster Risk Specialist Dr. Rochelle Campbell who says the bill aims to modernize and strengthen the Fiji Meteorological Service’s capabilities.

Dr. Campbell says it will ensure that Fiji Met effectively meet the demands of a changing climate and provide critical services to the public.

She is working closely with the Fiji Met to help them successfully complete the projects.

“As I said to some of your colleagues, this is one of the only countries that I work in that has a new MET bill that looks at including exposure information. This will change the forecasts that come out of the Fiji MET service.”

Dr. Campbell says that one of the major projects that they have assisted the Fiji Meteorological Service with is the Flash Flood Guidance System, which is focusing on improving flash flood forecasting.

She adds that through these project stakeholders will be able to equip themselves with required information that will enable them to make decisions during times of natural disaster.