Fijian officials outline water shortage strategy

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Fiji is looking at ways of addressing worsening water shortages. [ABC]

Last Updated: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 16:10:00 +1000

Fiji's National Drought Steering Committee has wrapped up a meeting to discuss the country's worsening water shortages, but has stopped short of declaring a drought.

Officials from the Bureau of Meteorology, the Environment and Health departments and the National Disaster Management Office heard that weather stations are repeatedly recording below average rainfalls.

The director of the National Disaster Management Office, Pajiliai Dobui, says the worst is still to come and the authorities are now looking into what steps need to be taken.

"Right now we are just asking the public to use water wisely and sparingly and also to consider advice from the met office that rain may not be forthcoming...so we must prepare for these difficult times ahead."