Sunday 16 December 2012

Super cyclone Evan


Super cyclone Evan targeting Fiji
Weather forecasters are predicting that super cyclone Evan will hit New Zealand's Northland and Auckland area toward the end of the week.


16 December, 2012

Evan powered across two small Pacific islands this morning home to 15,000 after wrecking havoc to Samoa and now targeting Fiji.

Samoa, which was savaged by the storm on Thursday night have four confirmed dead and eight people missing.

Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Centre says a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion has sighted wreckage of a fishing boat, one of three they are looking for which held up to eight men.

It is washed up on the small volcanic island of Apolima, between Upolu and Savai'i but there is no sign of the crew.

Mission coordinator Tracy Brickles says a 30-year-old skipper of one of the boats has been found alive on nearby Monono Island.

She said he had yet to be spoken to by Samoan Police but is believed to have clung to flotsam after the boat tipped over some time on Friday.

The missing boats are all ali'a or twin-hulled nine metre boats fitted with outboards.

A tug is heading to the area form Apia but seas are still rough.

The Orion crew have now landed at Faleolo and will later be relieved on the search area by a French Navy Guardian aircraft from Tahiti.

Evan is now moving south west toward Fiji and earlier this morning intensified into a category four storm, meaning conditions are extreme with average winds of 210 and up to 250 kph.

The upgrade came as Evan was on top of Wallis Island, part of the French territory of Wallis and Futuna.

The islands, the only kingdoms within the Republic of France, are now completely cut off.

Authorities there usually take down satellite dishes as cyclones pass over.

Fiji's military regime has mobilised its large army ahead of Evan's arrival off the north eastern end of Vanua Levu. Track prediction charts have so far kept the eye of the storm out to sea but in the last 12 hours predictions have it much closer to land.

It will sweep down the northern coasts of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu and pound into the major tourist centres around Nadi and in the Yasawa and Mamanucas islands. The cities and towns of Labasa, Ba, Lautoka and Nadi are likely to be hit hardest.

The worst of the storm is likely to hit early Monday morning.

Senior Weather Forcaster Misaele Funaki says heavy rain currently fell in the north eastern part of Fiji and wind will pick up.

"We should be prepared for the winds to increase from later today," he told state radio.

Dozens of evacuation centres have been set up around the country.

The Fiji Meteorological Service is warning of five metre surges.

"This can be made worse by high tide," it says.

"A Catagory 4 syclone can result in roofing failures (roofs blown away) as well as extensive damage to doors and windows. Low lying escape routes may be cut off. Major damage to lower floors of buildings near the coast can be expected.

"Land near the coast that is lower than three meters above sea level may be flooded."

Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama has already warned the storm is a "impending disaster" and urged its people to take it serious.

Meanwhile in Samoa a National Disaster Council under Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele says over 3200 people have been displaced as their homes were destroyed mainly by heavy flooding.

Many of those displaced are from Lelata, Ma'agao, Leone, Faatoia and Matautu area. Their homes were affected by the heavy flooding of the Vaisigano River.

The Commissioner of Police, Lilomaiava Fou Taioalo reported that four people are confirmed dead due to the cyclone, with eight people missing - including five fishermen reportedly missing at sea.

One fisherman, cast adrift, managed to swim to the coast at Salelologa and was saved.

The New Zealand government has approved $50,000 as well as offering aerial survey support, the United States US$50,000 through the Red Cross Society and a grant of US$50,000 from the United Nations Development Program as well as technical assistance in damage assessments.

In an unusual speech to the nation, Tuilaepa told the largely Christian state that there was a time for every season, and that God balances all things.

"The most poignant concerns that are distressing world leaders at the moment are the disastrous changing weather patterns that will allow the occurrences of cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding and other disasters, which all emanates from man abusing the garden that God appointed him to tend, such as the mindless cutting of trees excessively warming the environment resulting in disasters not often experienced before," he said.

He said deforestation near rivers and streams led to Samoa's disaster.

"Likewise the extreme deforestation near rivers and streams which, consequently, now results in the loss of lives and the destruction of homes nearby due to flash floodings."



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