WEST BRACES FOR CYCLONE KENI
Towns, businesses advised to close before Cyclone hits today Buses to stop, movements to be restricted Most Government offices to close Authorities, issuing advisory, not taking any chances
Towns in the West have been advised to close as Tropical Cyclone Keni (TC Keni) moves closer to the division today. In a final briefing to ensure that the West is in a state of readiness as Keni passes close to Nadi on its way towards Kadavu, it was revealed that:
• Businesses had been advised to close.
• Buses have has been stopped and movement will be restricted.
Last night the Fiji Bus Operators Association announced that bus services throughout the country would be suspended and would be reviewed later for the safety of the travelling public and bus drivers. The association’s general secretary, Rohit Latchan, said the decision “follows discussions with the Minister for Disaster Management, Hon. Inia Seruiratu today.” “Bus services will resume once the National Disaster Management Office in consultation with bus operators gives the all-clear.”
This effectively means that many workers, who depend on buses, will not be able to go to work today. Most Government offices are closed today. Authorities are not taking any chances.
The Department of Information has advised that all civil servants other than those delivering essential services, are not to come to work today due to adverse weather conditions. Civil servants are advised to keep listening to the radio for any updates. Courts will be closed. Krishnan Prasad, deputy Registrar Legal, said owing to TC Keni, all judicial department registries would be closed. He said all employees were not required to report to work today. Litigants and legal practitioners whose cases were listed for today are required to check with the various court registries after the cyclone when their cases would be listed next.
A joint Fiji Meteorological Service and the Government says TC Keni intensified rapidly and upgraded to a Category 2 cyclone at 6pm last night. TC Keni was located near 16.9 degrees south latitude and 172.5 degrees east longitude or about 535km west of Nadi and about 650km west-northwest of Kadavu at 6pm. TC Keni was moving east-southeast towards the Group at about 19km/hr.
TC Keni is expected to have average winds of 85km/hr with momentary gusts to 120km/ hr. It is intensifying and likely to pass close to Kadavu as a Category 2 cyclone.
On the projected track, the cyclone centre was expected to be located approximately 250km of west of Nadi or about 345km west-northwest of Kadavu at 6am today and about 105km south-southeast of Kadavu or about 310km west-northwest of Ono-I-Lau at 6pm tonight. Destructive winds are expected to begin several hours before the cyclone centre passes overhead or nearby. For Southwest Viti Levu, from Nadi through Sigatoka to Coral Coast, Mamanuca Group, Kadavu and Vatulele, expect winds increasing to damaging gale force with average speed of 85km/hr and momentary gusts to 120km/hr from this morning. Winds strengthening to destructive storm force with average speed of 100km/hr and momentary gusts to 140km/hr from this morning.
For the rest of Viti Levu, Beqa, Yasawa Lomaiviti Group, expect winds increasing to gale force with average speed of 75km/ hr and momentary gusts to 100km/hr from this morning.
For Lomaiviti, Totoya, Moala, Matuku and Ono-I-Lau, winds increasing to gale force with average speed of 75km/hr and momentary gusts to 100km/hr from mid-morning.
For the rest of Fiji, expect strong northwesterly winds with speeds of 45 to 50km/ hr and momentary gusts to 80km/hr.