Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu has been hammered by heavy rain in recent days, causing severe flooding and closing access to the popular resort island of Denarau.
The National Weather Forecasting Centre in Nadi has issued a severe flood warning for all major rivers and low lying areas of the main island of Viti Levu through to Thursday (Jan 26) and the flooding has led to the temporary closure of roads in Nadi including the road between the resort area of Denarau Island and Nadi International Airport.
As a result of the temporary road closures, passengers are being ferried by boat from Port Denarau to Naisoso resort near the international airport to enable visitors to board arriving and returning international flights which are continuing to operate.
According to Tourism Fiji, resorts in Denarau and other parts of Fiji have advised that despite the heavy rain, “guests are being well cared for as most resorts are operating as close to normal as possible”.
Reduced ferry services continue to operate between Viti Levu and resorts located in the Mamanuca Islands and Yasawa Islands however several cruise operations including Blue Lagoon Cruises and South Sea Cruises have cancelled operations until weather conditions improve.
Captain Cook Cruises has cancelled its day cruises but it plans to continue to operate its four-night cruise program from today and is also operating ferry transfers between the airport/Naisoso and Port Denarau.
In addition, while local flights to other islands have been cancelled pending better weather, helicopter charters are being used to ferry visitors between the Coral Coast and Nadi International Airport due to the closure of Queens Highway on the south-western side of Viti Levu.