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http://fijitimes.com.fj/story.aspx?id=155606

 

Prepare, warns scientist 

Samantha Rina 
Friday, September 10, 2010 

THE drought affecting the country is not the result of climate change or global warming, 
says weather scientist Dr Sushil Sharma. 

Challenging the theories of climate change and global warming, Dr Sharma said droughts 
such as that of 1997-1998 and this year were the result of natural variability. 

"It is normal for Fiji to have such droughts every five to 10 years. The lesson that should 
be learnt from here is preparing for it because any natural disaster is beyond our control," 
he said. 

Dr Sharma, who is also the Fiji Meteorology Service climate special services and 
research division manager, said the drought impacted the water supply cycle within the 
atmosphere and Earth system in confined locations. 

"Droughts come and then come the rains and the cycle continues in an irregular fashion 
depending on many other feedback mechanisms of the climate drivers in our universe," 
he said. 

National Disaster Management Office director Pajiliai Dobui said people were not 
usually aware of the hazards of a drought. 

"A drought affects more people than a cyclone or flood and no one is spared because 
everyone needs water. The difference with a drought is that has a slow onset and we can 
never be certain when it starts and when it ends," he said. 

Mr Dobui said the cold nights were also further indication that there would be no rainfall 
for a while as predicted by the weather office. 

"If it is warm at night, we can expect some rainfall ahead. But the cold nights 
experienced recently tells us that rain is still far off," he said.