Cyclone Near Vanuatu to Affect Fiji

The Yasawa and the Mamanuca Group, Nadi, Lautoka and Ba are expected to experience strong winds with speeds of 45 kilometres per hour (km/ph) and gusts up to 80kmph, says the Nadi Weather Office.

This is after tropical depression 09F (TD09F) intensified into a category 1 tropical cyclone and named Kevin around 9am yesterday. At the time, it was located about 480km west northwest off Santo in Vanuatu.

“Winds of this strength can break tree branches, damage crops and weak, unshielded structures such as temporary sheds and tents in exposed communities,” the station said. Tropical Cyclone (TC) Kevin was moving southeast at about seven km/ph and is expected to lie very close to Santo, about 200km west-southwest at 6am today.

The station said TC Kevin was rapidly intensifying with the possibility of it developing into a category 2 system. “Heavy rain is expected from today (Friday), especially over Yasawa and Mamanuca groups, northern parts of Ra, greater Nadi, Lautoka and Ba areas, interior of Ba and Nadroga-Navosa, Sigatoka, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands, Lau and Lomaiviti groups,” the station said.

Flood prone areas in the western and northern parts of Viti Levu, especially Rakiraki, Tavua, Ba, and others, may once more be at risk of flooding.

There will be an elevated risk of flash flooding in the weekend and into early next week. Strong northeast winds with speeds 20 to 30 knots, gusting up to 45 knots will be experienced over Fiji waters.

The sea conditions are expected to be rough to very rough with poor visibility in areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms.