Feature article
Extreme rainfall and new records in the Fiji Islands, January 2009
A flooded house in Nadi, Fiji that resulted from high rainfall during January 2009.
A badly damaged bridge in Nadi, Fiji.
Fiji Meteorological Service
January 2009 was the wettest first month of the year in more than a century at several locations in Fiji. The total monthly rainfall was equivalent to or above 200% of normal at more than 75% of reporting stations in the Western, Central and Eastern Divisions of the country. Fourteen monthly rainfall totals and seven 24hr daily rainfall records were broken during the month.