21 May 2011

Fiji Meteorological Office issues more damaging high tides warning

9:51 am on 21 May 2011

The Fiji Meteorological Office is warning there could be further damaging high tides at nine o'clock this morning, after heavy waves swamped the coastal highway along the southwestern coast of the main island, Viti-Levu.

At least two resorts along the coast say water is lapping close to accommodation units, but they haven't yet been flooded.

The duty weather forecaster, Adipi Sharan, says the heavy swells are due to a high pressure weather system off the southern coast.

"There is a high pressure system to the south in the Coral sea that's basically causing a southerly that's directing the swells towards Fiji, these are basically damaging heavy swells."

Adipi Sharan says heavy swells out in the Coral Sea are not unusual in the dry season, but people near the coast are advised to move to higher ground.

There is also a damaging heavy swell warning for the Coral Sea and Southern Lau Island group.