Category 3 Cyclone approaches Samoa

l

Samoa prepares as an intensifying Cyclone Amos nears

Tropical Cyclone Amos continued to intensify on Saturday, meteorologists said, and was likely to near Samoa late on Saturday as a severe category four system.

RadioNZ,

23 April, 2016

Amos was upgraded to a category three on Friday with sustained winds of 148km/h at its centre, which were likely to increase to as high as 166km/h in the next 12 to 24 hours.

Amos was upgraded to a category three on Friday with sustained winds of 148km/h at its centre, which were likely to increase to as high as 166km/h in the next 12 to 24 hours.

A satellite image of Cyclone Amos as it nears Samoa, supplied by the US National Weather Service.Photo: Samoa Meteorological Service

On Saturday morning, the cyclone was still more than 350km northwest of Samoa's largest island, Savai'i, and was slowly moving southeast at 11km/h while intensifying.

The public in Samoa has been warned to be alert and prepare for possible flooding, landslides and wind damage, the Samoa Meteorological Service said. Heavy rain, strong wind, and flood advisories had been issued for the entire country.

Current forecasts predict the cyclone, with a radius of more than 100km from the storm's eye, will pass close to Samoa's southern coast at about midday on Sunday.

Mulipola Ausetalia Titamaea, a forecaster at the Samoa Meteorological Service, said the country's cyclone centre had been activated and authorities had been briefed as the situation looks to be serious.

"The actual intense wind field is the northern side [of the cyclone], and as the eye moves south of Samoa, we will be bearing the brunt of the system as it tracks on this southeast path," Mulipola said in an interview. "It will impact the whole country."

"People were rushing to the shops in the last few days looking for generators, things to tie down their houses and buying food. It's an indication that people are taking this seriously."

A map predicting the path and strengths of Cyclone Amos on Saturday. It is expected to affect most of Samoa as a category four. Photo: Fiji Meteorological Service

After passing Samoa, Amos is expected to veer south into Tonga's northern islands and weakening, although this system has followed an enigmatic path with varying forecasts, and it could still continue east towards American Samoa.

The territory had been placed under a hurricane watch and a high surf warning had already been issued, the United States National Weather Service in Pago Pago said.

All public schools and some private schools were closed on Friday (Saturday Samoa, NZ time) and authorities had told locals to prepare for the cyclone's arrival.

"It's supposed to start this afternoon," said Fili Sagapolutele, RNZ International's correspondent in Pago Pago, the territory's capital. "We are looking at surfs of 14 to 16 feet this afternoon and 18 to 22 feet tomorrow night and into Sunday morning.

"[Authorities] are asking people who live along the shoreline to be mindful of this situation and to prepare to move as soon as those high surfs start hitting the territory," said Ms Sagapolutele.

Heavy rain starts in American Samoa as Tropical Cyclone Amos approaches. Photo: RNZI/Monica Miller

Stores in Pago Pago had reported increased sales of plywood, torches, batteries, water and canned food as locals heeded authorities' warnings to prepare and to be ready to evacuate.

Cyclone Amos is approaching the Samoas after passing about 90 kilometres north of the island of Wallis, a French Pacific territory, overnight on Friday.

The territory had been put under curfew overnight as the island braced for winds in excess of 150 km/h, but the cyclone passed further north of the island than feared, and on Saturday Wallis woke to only minor damage, the territory's public broadcaster said.

Cyclone for Samoa

Samoa on alert after close call with cyclone

Samoans are breathing a "heavy sigh of relief" this morning after a tropical cyclone passed dangerously close to the capital.

NZ Herald,

22 January, 2013

Cyclone Garry is still moving past at about 200km northeast of Apia, which was badly damaged by Cyclone Evan in December.

"The alert is still there but it's been reduced very much, it's now a storm advisory," said New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa, Nick Hurley.

While Hurley said the cyclone is moving quickly, at about 20km per hour, it is heading "slightly further away" in an easterly direction.

"It hasn't had a direct hit on Samoa so at the moment people are sighing a heavy sigh of relief," he said.

While Apia had not even experienced any rain, water levels were a lot fuller than usual and people were being "cautious".

"You never know, cyclones can do silly things like turn around."

With forecasts showing a continued pathway east, the impact on Samoa for the time being is "minimal", said Hurley.

Yet people were still nervous about what the cyclone might do.

"Having had the scare and impact of [Cyclone Evan], people are a lot more conscious this time both in terms of the authorities ... frequency of reports and preparedness," he said.

"This time people moved out of low lying areas, doing all those things they needed to do... their radios, batteries and their food supplies."

And with climate change set to increase the number and intensity of the storms, this won't be a "one-off event", he said.

Samoa is still recovering from the impact of Cyclone Evan, which wreaked havoc in the island nation last month.

While most infrastructure is back up and running, the Samoan National Disaster Coordination Centre wants people to remain vigilant over the next 12 to 24 hours, 3 News reported.

A more recent report from the ABC

Samoa keeps watch on passing cyclone

Tropical Cyclone Garry has intensified into a category two storm, as it moves erratically away from Samoa.

ABC,

22 January, 2013

Garry was last recorded about 120 nautical miles north of the American Samoa capital, Pago Pago.

The cyclone is moving slowly towards the US territory's eastern-most islands, but its track is unpredictable.

The US National Weather Service in Pago Pago says Garry is bringing gale force winds and has warned resident's of the Manu'a islands to be prepared.

Storm and strong wind warnings remain in place for Samoa.

Mulipola Titimaea, from Samoa's National Disaster Management Office, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat the system was unpredictable.

"We are still maintaining our warnings, wind levels, the storm warnings, the storm surge, and also the possibility of heavy rain that might lead to flooding and landslide."

In American Samoa, Mase Akapo, from the Pago Pago office of the US National Weather Service, said the main island of Tutuila could expect gale-force winds, developing into storm-force, as Garry moves over the Manu'a islands.

"It looks as if once it passes American Samoa then it's going to head towards Raratonga, the Cook (Islands) and looks like it will intensify even stronger than that," he said.

Mr Titimaea, speaking of the storm's unpredictability, said it was similar to last month's devastating cyclone Evan "in character and formation, so we've learnt from that it's unpredictable."

The forecaster said: "If you compare it with (tropical cyclone) Evan . . . Evan was predicted to move south-west, but it moved north-east."

Garry was a very small system. "Some forecasters and scientists call them 'black swan' because it's hard to pick up the intensity from the radar centre."

More storms loom

Mr Titimaea said there was another depression to the east but it is very weak. "There's also an interesting one to the west, which could be forming again where the depression of Garry formed.

"It's a very busy season for us Pacific forecasters."

Two hundred school students in Fiji will take classes in temporary shelters for at least a month after damage caused by cyclone Evan.

Schools reopened this week for the first time since cyclone Evan hit in December, causing an estimated $US43 million damage.

Manasa Tagicakibau, director of the National Disaster Management Office, says the rebuilding of school buildings damaged by Evan continues, so temporary shelters have been erected.

"We have had 14 schools that were badly damaged, and these were the schools that we've erected temporary shelters for," the director sid.

"Apart from those 134 schools, other schools were badly damaged which the school children can still use the buildings while repair work carries on."

Cyclone Evan aftermath

Thousands still homeless after Evan

More than 8000 people remain homeless over a week after Cyclone Evan ripped across Samoa, Wallis and Futuna and Fiji, the United Nations said today.

Stuff,

24 December, 2012

Their Humanitarian Affairs unit said in its latest situation report there were 2714 people in evacuation centres in Fiji one week on.

In the French islands of Wallis and Futuna 290 homes have been damaged.

The death toll in Samoa is 15 with people still missing at sea. Fiji said it had no deaths from the cyclone but the UN said one man was missing at sea.

It also said that as a result of Evan, 18 people had typhoid in Ba, in Viti Levu.

The UN said Samoa's economy would be as hard hit by Evan, coming on top of the 2009 tsunami that destroyed 20 villages and killed 143 people.

As a result of Evan, the tourism industry said repairs to its infrastructure were likely to be more than NZ$80 million.

The UN said that while conditions in the Apia evacuation centres were relatively good, there was a shortage of water and storage, food in some centres, lack of power, and a shortage of sanitation facilities.

On Fiji the UN said there had been US$2 million in damages to schools. Preliminary surveys indicated that early planted sugar cane and ratoon cane from the first harvest of the season have been "significantly damaged".

Young plant cane appears to have escaped major damage.

"Preliminary agricultural damage assessment, with around 60 per cent assessed, is approximately US$30 million."

On Wallis and Futuna electricity has been restored to about 45 per cent of the Wallis Island. All fresh food was destroyed by the cyclone, which represents about 30 per cent of the consumable food available. Assessments found 290 houses were damaged, as well as 15 public buildings.

An airport and a hospital were damaged, but both remain functional.

Cyclone Evan

Samoa food shortages predicted after cyclone

Aid agency Oxfam is predicting that severe damage to crops in Samoa from Cyclone Evan will mean food shortages.

Radio NZ,

19 December, 2012

Five people were killed when the cyclone slammed into Samoa last week, wrecking buildings, destroying crops and causing rivers to flood.

Cyclone Evan went on to pound Fiji for more than 12 hours on Monday, destroying homes and hitting the communication network, power and water supplies.

Thousands of people sheltered in evacuation centres as western parts of the main island Viti Levu bore the brunt of the category four storm.

Oxfam spokesperson Andy Thomson told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme that there has been major damage to plantations in most areas of Samoa and while there is enough food for now, as time goes on there will be shortages.

He said Apia and south west Upolu have been hit the hardest, with about 500 houses destroyed.

The Red Cross in Fiji says about 1200 people remain in evacuation centres and hundreds of houses are damaged following the category four storm.

Fiji Red Cross Director General Filipe Nainoca said one of the hardest hit areas is the second largest city Lautoka where about 600 houses have lost roofs.

He told Morning Report he expects the Red Cross will have to ask for help from overseas.

International aid

The New Zealand Government is making $50,000 immediately available for responding to specific requests from Fiji. In addition, tarpaulins, water containers, generators and chainsaw packs are on the way to Fiji on commercial flights and a contribution of $170,000 to the Fiji Red Cross will help it to replenish supplies.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said New Zealand is also providing more financial help for Samoa following its initial pledge of $50,000 and is now offering to make another $550,000 available to support relief and early recovery efforts.

Australia will give Fiji and Samoa an initial $A1 million worth of emergency assistance each, AAP reports.

Auckland to add its help for cyclone-hit Pacific

Auckland mayor Len Brown is to meet Pacific community leaders and government agencies to co-ordinate the city's efforts to help Samoa and Fiji recover from Cyclone Evan.

Mr Brown said Friday's meeting would focus on Samoa's immediate needs, which are likely to be food, clothing and building materials. Auckland Council will also look at relief funding and help to repair roads and water supplies.

The council's Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel chairman Uesifili Unasa said the council could also set up collection points for relief supplies and instruct its ports company to waive fees for shipping them to the islands.

This seems to have practically gone off the radar – updates more recent than this

Cyclone Evan's remnants could lash NZ

Aid agency Oxfam is predicting that severe damage to crops in Samoa from Cyclone Evan will mean food shortages.

TVNZ,

18 December, 2012

The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Evan could bring heavy rain and strong winds to New Zealand at the weekend.

Evan is moving away to the south of Fiji and the destructive storms experienced on the main island of Viti Levu yesterday and overnight have eased.

New Zealand's MetService says it expects to take over warning responsibility for Evan on Thursday, when it crosses 25 degrees South latitude.

"Evan's current track takes it more or less southwards and it is likely to pass within a few hundred kilometres of northern New Zealand during the weekend," said MetService Chief Forecaster Peter Kreft.

Evan is very unlikely to be a tropical cyclone by the time of its closest approach to the North Island, he said.

But it will have brought a large amount of tropical air into the New Zealand region, which means potential for heavy rainfall in places with strong onshore winds.
Currently, MetService is forecasting rain this weekend for Northland, Auckland and Coromandel.

There is still a lot of conflicting information about Evan's track beyond about Friday, Kreft said.

"It is likely to swing away from the North Island into the north Tasman Sea on Sunday, but this is by no means certain," he said.

"We're very conscious of the possibility of a track which takes Evan near East Cape. This would be a totally different ball game."

Irrespective of Evan's path through the New Zealand area, Christmas Day is likely to be warm, and probably not windy, in most places, Kreft said.

However, it is still a little early to say which - if any - areas might be wet, he said.
Keep up to date with the latest forecasts and any watches or warnings on our weather page.

Cyclone Evan - Category 4

Fiji in eye of Cyclone Evan's fury

Thousands of Fijians and a handful of Kiwi tourists are hunkering down in evacuation centres as Tropical Cyclone Evan sweeps near the Pacific Island nation.

NZ Herald,

17 December, 2012

The deadly storm, which yesterday increased intensity from category 3 to 4, was forecast to lie about 115km southwest of the Yasawas Islands and 185km north-northeast of Nadi about 6.30am, the Fiji Meteorological Service said.

Average winds in the centre of the cyclone were expected to reach 185kmh, with momentary gusts of 270kmh.

Four people have been confirmed dead and up to eight are missing after the cyclone struck Samoa on Thursday.

More than 400 New Zealanders had registered with the High Commission in Fiji, acting head of mission Phillip Taula told Radio New Zealand.

"The advice to any New Zealanders currently in Fiji is to follow any instructions issued by local authorities and to keep their family in New Zealand informed of their wellbeing," he said.

"We're encouraging any New Zealanders in Fiji to register with us."

New Zealanders in Fiji were asked to check the Government's safe travel website.

The military commissioner for northern Fiji, Lieutenant Colonel Ilai Moceica, imposed a curfew from 8pm to 6am, the Fiji Times reported.

According to Fiji Live, 2534 Fijians were in 31 evacuation centres overnight, and power was out in parts of Labasa, in the northern part of the island of Vanua Levu.

That included the Labasa Corrections Facility and the local barracks.

Government facilities were using back up power arrangements.

Fiji Live said 80 military personnel and 40 police were heading to the area ahead of the cyclone, and movement would be restricted today.

The cyclone has forced the cancellation of a number of Air Pacific and Qantas flights between Apia, Nadi and Auckland today.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said New Zealanders in Fiji were advised to follow any instructions from local authorities, including any evacuation orders, and keep family in New Zealand informed.

People in travel accommodation should follow the guidance of the accommodation management and/or tour operators, he said.

A New Zealand journalist on holiday at The Hilton in Denarau, Marc Hinton, told Newstalk ZB people would be served breakfast at the hotel, but after that guests and staff were on strict instruction to take shelter and wait it out.

He said it was like the calm before the storm.

"The message has definitely gone out, the cyclone's on its way (and) will hit land here soon. So everyone's being encouraged to get provisions.

"We went through Nadi town, it was pretty much like a ghost town, everything was starting to be locked up, everything was being bolstered down that could be."

Mr Hinton said 95 per cent of the restaurants and shops in Nadi closed late yesterday afternoon.

The Fiji Government said it was working with the tourism industry to co-ordinate preparation and recovery efforts as the cyclone approaches.

"We are concerned about the capacity of this cyclone and have activated and mobilised our emergency response teams, disaster relief centers, police and military forces," Ministry of Public Enterprises, Communications, Civil Aviation & Tourism Permanent Secretary Elizabeth Powell said.

"The safety of our community and our international guests is our main concern, and we have established and stocked 300 emergency centres - should they be needed."

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.

Stuff,

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."

South Pacific - wether update

-->

NZ: Wind rips roofs off in Otago

Two Otago houses lost their roofs to strong winds when a mini "twister-like" event struck Cromwell in Central Otago.

Stuff,

14 December, 2012

Roofing iron and tiles were torn off two addresses in the town about 3pm.

A house in Ortive Street and one in Horace St were damaged in the event, and a clothes line was blown over and a large tree uprooted.

Police initially identified the phenomenon as a twister, but the MetService said the event was not a tornado but most likely a "dust devil".

Duty forecaster Heath Gullery said MetService had not received any evidence that it was a twister.

"Usually, for twisters to occur, there needs to be convective storm clouds and conditions and it's pretty dry down there."

Gullery said it was most likely to be either a particularly strong wind gust or a dust devil.

He said both could be incredibly strong, and do considerable damage.

MetService had issued a severe wind watch for the region, saying wind gusts could get close to severe gale about exposed parts of Southland and Otago throughout today.

Police said one female resident took refuge with her two young daughters in the bathroom until the winds passed.

No one was injured and the event only lasted a few minutes.

Fire service and police were helping the residents, however damage seemed to be fairly localised.

Fiji Govt urges urgent cyclone preparation

Fiji's government authorities are asking the public to begin preparing for Tropical Cyclone Evan and not leave it to the last minute.

Stuff,

14 December, 2012

The category three cyclone will most likely pass over Vanua Levu on Monday after yesterday devastating Samoa, killing three people and leaving several others missing.

In a media briefing this afternoon, permanent secretary for information Sharon Smith-Johns said Evan's affects would begin to be felt in Fiji from Sunday, but urged people not to wait to prepare until it was too late.

She said Evan would most likely be more devastating than Cyclone Kina in 1993.

"This is going to be an extremely bad cyclone to hit us and probably the worse that we've seen since Cyclone Kina," Smith-Johns said.

The Fiji Meteorological Service, in a bulletin issued at 2.53pm today, said Severe Tropical Cyclone Evan was located northeast of Samoa and was slowly moving northwest at 9 kilometres per hour. It is expected to re-curve and move west-southwestward later today and directly affect Fiji from later Sunday.

Evan is currently affecting Samoa and the Samoa Meteorology Division says it is expected to be located 50 miles northwest of Apia later this evening.

Close to the centre Tropical Cyclone Evan has winds speeds of up to 152 kph, according to the Samoan weather office.

Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has asked people to consider cancelling social events this weekend and to refrain from being inebriated.

"Because this is the festive season I ask you to consider cancelling social events and to act responsibly. All of us need a clear mind for what is bearing down on us. Alcohol and yaqona (kava) drinking will not help the situation. Your family responsibilities must come first," he said in a statement issued today.

"Fellow Fijians, I cannot stress enough how serious this is. Every Fijian will be affected but we must take preventative steps now."

The Minister for Agriculture, Inia Seruiratu has urged farmers to secure their property and machinery, move livestock to higher ground and plan for crop recovery.

SAMOAN RED CROSS PREPARES

Meanwhile, Samoan Red Cross is readying teams of disaster response volunteers who will be assessing the damage as soon as the weather clears following Cyclone Evan.

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi is hoping to get back home tonight after his flight from New Zealand was cancelled yesterday morning.

He said the indentities of those killed in the storm were not yet known, although two were children. Securing water supply and assessing damage were the top priorities for the country.