West braces for Cyclone Hettie
THE Western Division braced for Cyclone Hettie of 1982 that was “hovering threateningly about 200 miles (about 322 kilometres) West of Nadi”.
According to The Fiji Times of Thursday January 28, 1982, a cyclone alert warning was issued for all of Fiji and extra precautionary measures were taken for the Western Division.
The Commissioner Western, Poseci Bune, activated the EMSEC (Emergency Services Committee) centre at Lautoka with key personnel on standby at their homes.
Heavy rain fell throughout Western Viti Levu the day prior. A senior meteorological spokesman at Nadi said the cyclone was, at this time, stationary about 200 miles west of Nadi.
It was reported that this made it difficult to plot its course. Winds, he said, had not reached gale force, but were expected to be blowing gusts of 75 knots at the centre by midday.
Two cruise ship operators at Lautoka had to abandon scheduled trips after the alert.
Blue Lagoon Cruises Ltd general manager Bob Dodds said their cruise ship Taleianda did not sail out to the Yasawas and another ship, the Salamanda, stayed overnight at an anchorage at Nanualailai until the bad weather cleared.
Beachcomber Cruises Ltd did not sail its cruise ship, the Matthew Flinders.
Mr Simeli Naisausau, the wireless Operator at Yasawa-I-Ra, the northern most island in the Yasawas, said the island experienced heavy rain during the day with winds up to 17 knots.
He said the seas were choppy, but the island was not facing any danger yet.
Alipate Seru, the wireless operator at Yaqeta, another island in the Yasawas, said it was very cloudy, but the wind was not very strong.