South Pacific - wether update

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NZ: Wind rips roofs off in Otago

Two Otago houses lost their roofs to strong winds when a mini "twister-like" event struck Cromwell in Central Otago.

Stuff,

14 December, 2012

Roofing iron and tiles were torn off two addresses in the town about 3pm.

A house in Ortive Street and one in Horace St were damaged in the event, and a clothes line was blown over and a large tree uprooted.

Police initially identified the phenomenon as a twister, but the MetService said the event was not a tornado but most likely a "dust devil".

Duty forecaster Heath Gullery said MetService had not received any evidence that it was a twister.

"Usually, for twisters to occur, there needs to be convective storm clouds and conditions and it's pretty dry down there."

Gullery said it was most likely to be either a particularly strong wind gust or a dust devil.

He said both could be incredibly strong, and do considerable damage.

MetService had issued a severe wind watch for the region, saying wind gusts could get close to severe gale about exposed parts of Southland and Otago throughout today.

Police said one female resident took refuge with her two young daughters in the bathroom until the winds passed.

No one was injured and the event only lasted a few minutes.

Fire service and police were helping the residents, however damage seemed to be fairly localised.

Fiji Govt urges urgent cyclone preparation

Fiji's government authorities are asking the public to begin preparing for Tropical Cyclone Evan and not leave it to the last minute.

Stuff,

14 December, 2012

The category three cyclone will most likely pass over Vanua Levu on Monday after yesterday devastating Samoa, killing three people and leaving several others missing.

In a media briefing this afternoon, permanent secretary for information Sharon Smith-Johns said Evan's affects would begin to be felt in Fiji from Sunday, but urged people not to wait to prepare until it was too late.

She said Evan would most likely be more devastating than Cyclone Kina in 1993.

"This is going to be an extremely bad cyclone to hit us and probably the worse that we've seen since Cyclone Kina," Smith-Johns said.

The Fiji Meteorological Service, in a bulletin issued at 2.53pm today, said Severe Tropical Cyclone Evan was located northeast of Samoa and was slowly moving northwest at 9 kilometres per hour. It is expected to re-curve and move west-southwestward later today and directly affect Fiji from later Sunday.

Evan is currently affecting Samoa and the Samoa Meteorology Division says it is expected to be located 50 miles northwest of Apia later this evening.

Close to the centre Tropical Cyclone Evan has winds speeds of up to 152 kph, according to the Samoan weather office.

Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has asked people to consider cancelling social events this weekend and to refrain from being inebriated.

"Because this is the festive season I ask you to consider cancelling social events and to act responsibly. All of us need a clear mind for what is bearing down on us. Alcohol and yaqona (kava) drinking will not help the situation. Your family responsibilities must come first," he said in a statement issued today.

"Fellow Fijians, I cannot stress enough how serious this is. Every Fijian will be affected but we must take preventative steps now."

The Minister for Agriculture, Inia Seruiratu has urged farmers to secure their property and machinery, move livestock to higher ground and plan for crop recovery.

SAMOAN RED CROSS PREPARES

Meanwhile, Samoan Red Cross is readying teams of disaster response volunteers who will be assessing the damage as soon as the weather clears following Cyclone Evan.

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi is hoping to get back home tonight after his flight from New Zealand was cancelled yesterday morning.

He said the indentities of those killed in the storm were not yet known, although two were children. Securing water supply and assessing damage were the top priorities for the country.