By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA) has expressed its willingness to assist in constructing roads and drainage to address the issue of flooding in the National Capital District.
Jonah Auka, the CCDA Manager of the Adaptation Project, has stated that the current drainage system in the city is inadequate to cope with the increasing amount of rainfall resulting from climate change.
Mr Auka stressed the need incorporate climate change guidelines or standards into the development of roads and buildings to make them more resilient to flooding.
The CCDA is working in collaboration with the Department of National Works and Highways (DOWH) and the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) to develop a policy that will ensure roads and bridges are climate-proofed.
The CCDA and its partners are currently holding regional workshops to create a policy that will incorporate measures to absorb the increasing amounts of rainfall expected in the next 20 to 30 years. Although the cost of this initiative will be higher, Mr. Auka has emphasized that the benefits of saving lives and infrastructure in the long run make it a necessary investment.
Meanwhile, NCD City Manager Ravu Frank acknowledged that the recent flooding in the city was due to the high-intensity downpour that occurred for over two hours.
Mr Frank stated that the flooding was a result of the impact of climate change and that it overwhelmed even the best-designed drainage system.
He vowed to engage experts to conduct a hydrology audit of the drainage network and propose solutions to address the issue of flooding.
