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HONIARA went under storm floods yet again on Thursday in the wake of a heavy downpour that started around 5am, forcing schools and businesses to shut down for the day.
Vehicles crossing the flooded water at Burns Creek, East of Honiara on Thursday
HONIARA went under storm floods yet again on Thursday in the wake of a heavy downpour that started around 5am, forcing schools and businesses to shut down for the day.
Lack of a proper drainage system across the city was again blamed for the flooding of roads and streets, especially along Kukum Highway.
Vehicles had to use the road behind Kukum area to go down to Point Cruz and up to Lunga.
Flooding was heavy around the newly-built Vura junction all the way to the Guadalcanal Province headquarters.
Most shops along the Kukum Highway were closed as a result.
A teacher at Florence Young Christian School told the Solomon Star they told students to return home due to the heavy rain.
The heavy rain came without any warning from the Weather Office.
A forecaster at the Weather Office said the heavy downpour was a result of dark clouds that built over the country.
“There is no low depression or anything, just heavy rain,” he said.
The officer said the clouds should be cleared by Friday.
Meanwhile, the Weather Office said above normal rainfall is predicted for most parts of Solomon Islands for the period from March to May 2018 except for Auki in the central region and Munda in the western region which offers no rainfall guidance.
A rainfall outlook issued by the Solomon Islands Meteorological Services says, above normal rainfall is predicted for Henderson and Honiara in the central region, Lata and Kirakira in the eastern region and Taro in the western region.
It said near average of seven tropical cyclones or chances of 48-percent is predicted to occur in the western South Pacific region this season.
Therefore, one to two cyclones are likely to occur in the Solomon Islands for the season.
A weak La Nina continues to decline in the tropical Pacific however, the condition may still contribute towards the formation of tropical cyclones in the western Pacific region.
Communities in the islands and the climate sensitive stakeholders are advised to listen to the radio for daily weather and marine forecast updates including other extreme weather and climate events that may occur.
By LESLEY SANGA, Solomon Star News
Vehicles had to use the road behind Kukum area to go down to Point Cruz and up to Lunga.
Flooding was heavy around the newly-built Vura junction all the way to the Guadalcanal Province headquarters.
Most shops along the Kukum Highway were closed as a result.
A teacher at Florence Young Christian School told the Solomon Star they told students to return home due to the heavy rain.
The heavy rain came without any warning from the Weather Office.
A forecaster at the Weather Office said the heavy downpour was a result of dark clouds that built over the country.
“There is no low depression or anything, just heavy rain,” he said.
The officer said the clouds should be cleared by Friday.
Meanwhile, the Weather Office said above normal rainfall is predicted for most parts of Solomon Islands for the period from March to May 2018 except for Auki in the central region and Munda in the western region which offers no rainfall guidance.
A rainfall outlook issued by the Solomon Islands Meteorological Services says, above normal rainfall is predicted for Henderson and Honiara in the central region, Lata and Kirakira in the eastern region and Taro in the western region.
It said near average of seven tropical cyclones or chances of 48-percent is predicted to occur in the western South Pacific region this season.
Therefore, one to two cyclones are likely to occur in the Solomon Islands for the season.
A weak La Nina continues to decline in the tropical Pacific however, the condition may still contribute towards the formation of tropical cyclones in the western Pacific region.
Communities in the islands and the climate sensitive stakeholders are advised to listen to the radio for daily weather and marine forecast updates including other extreme weather and climate events that may occur.
By LESLEY SANGA, Solomon Star News
