ABSTRACT
In January 2009 Fiji faced its worst floods since 1931 with 400 mm of rain falling in two days, leaving a dozen people dead and more than 10,000 people displaced. The floods destroyed crops and infrastructure, and spread the risk of disease. In rural areas, the severe economic impact of the floods was well understood. This chapter will demonstrate that in urban areas the picture was less clear, partly due to the marginalization of the urban poor. Many urban squatters live on degraded coastal land and river flood plains, which are exposed to severe and rapid floods.
