Fiji floods, NZ threatened

Fiji floods: Tourists trapped, storm heads to NZ

New Zealanders remain stranded in Fiji as a tropical storm causing flooding on the islands, killing at least three, now heads toward our shores.

NZ Herald,

2 April, 2012

A severe weather outlook has been issued predicting heavy rain in the North Island starting tomorrow, with the worst to hit Gisborne and northern Hawke's Bay.

The weather system is expected to ease from Thursday but patches of rain are still forecast for the start of Easter.

In Fiji, Tauranga resident Anita Gray said blasts of wind and rain had taken out roads, cut power and caused a rising flood to encroach on her hotel.

"It's horrendous - you can't go outside for more than two seconds without getting soaked," she said.

"There's a massive pool of water just growing outside our window."

Mrs Gray said stranded tourists were competing for vacancies at hotels near the airport at Nadi, some of which had hiked rates

About 8000 people have been evacuated since the floods hit areas in western Viti Levu.

"It's chaos here because there have been lots of flights cancelled and there's no accommodation," she said.

"The worrying thing is it's getting harder and harder to get to the airport because the roads are flooded and have disappeared in some places.

"This morning only four-wheel-drives were able to get through and it's absolutely pouring down now."

Mrs Gray and her husband were sharing a room with a Christchurch couple because of a lack of accommodation, she said.

She had earlier stayed in Denarau, a gated resort island west of Nadi airport, and the road leading to it collapsed behind them as they left for the airport.

"Nobody's getting in or out at the moment," she said.

"There's so many people desperate to get somewhere to stay.

"We thought we would be sleeping at the airport."

Mrs Gray was hoping to get on a flight last night, which would arrive in Auckland after midnight - then face a drive through the night to Tauranga.

"I don't think we'll care if we can sleep in our own beds," she said.

The flight was later cancelled.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely watching the situation and is ready to help if necessary.

It knew of no New Zealanders who had been injured or whose safety was seriously at risk, a spokeswoman said.

At least 1000 people have had their travel plans disrupted, including outbound passengers in Auckland.

Cheryl Hart, from the United States, said her tour group were sitting out the storm at an airport hotel after their four-day stopover in Fiji had been cancelled.

"We are happy to be safe and comfortable but very disappointed with this abrupt end to our nearly month-long visit 'Down Under'," Ms Hart said.

She would fly direct to Los Angeles tomorrow, she said.

MetService severe weather forecaster Erick Brenstrum said the rain had persisted in Fiji even after the centre of the tropical storm moved on - and there was the possibility of thunderstorms for two more days.

The weather system was set to arrive in New Zealand tomorrow, particularly affecting eastern areas such as Gisborne, which had already suffered heavily from rains this year.

The western side of the North Island could also get some of the worst winds, Mr Brenstrum said.

"A lot of places will get gale-force winds, and a chance of severe gales," he said.

"We're going to get interesting weather over most of the North Island, and possibly the top of the South Island," he said.

"[But] they do change a lot on the way down, so it won't be identical to the storm Fiji got," Mr Brenstrum said.

A tropical cyclone was also now brewing near Vanuatu, but it was likely to miss both Fiji and New Zealand, he said.

Air New Zealand said two flights to Fiji were planned today, weather permitting.

The Fiji Government had banned inbound passengers to Fiji, so the flights would go to Fiji empty to get stranded passengers out.

Air New Zealand would put on extra services to and from Nadi as soon as the weather improved, a spokesman said yesterday.

The planned flights are NZ56, due to leave Auckland at 10.30am, and NZ754, scheduled to depart at 3.45pm.

Yet more floods and extreme weather for New Zealand.

Rain, gales ahead for North Island

Stuff,

2 April, 2012

The Easter weekend weather looks grim for parts of the North Island, with rain and gales expected.

MetService forecaster Daniel Corbett said the tail of the Fiji storm was set to "sit and spin" across the North Island today, bringing periods of heavy rain and the risk of gales until Wednesday.

The weather was expected to weaken by Thursday but would stick around until Friday, Corbett said.

"It's just a wettish start to the Easter break. It's going to bring some cloud and there might be some outbreaks of showers and rain."

The low could stay over the North Island until Saturday before moving east. It was unlikely to last until Sunday, but Corbett said it was "too difficult to say".

"Maybe, to be optimistic, things might improve by the second part of the weekend," he said.

The MetService 10-day forecast for Auckland shows rain on Friday and Saturday, followed by showers until Tuesday.

In Wellington, rain was expected tomorrow until Sunday, followed by showers until Tuesday, while Christchurch would see rain on Friday until Sunday, followed by showers on Monday and dry light winds on Tuesday.

The lower South Island was the place to be this long weekend, with dry weather expected throughout the week and Easter weekend.