As predicted by WeatherWatch.co.nz Tropical Cyclone Rene is moving towards New Zealand but is now dying and this morning became a Category 2 cyclone.  At its peak the storm was a severe category 4 cyclone.  5 is the highest.

This afternoon the cyclone remains a Category two with WeatherWatch.co.nz predicting it will become a strong category 1 cyclone in the next 12 to 24 hours, then downgraded to a tropical depression.

The storm is still on track towards New Zealand and may not weaken any further, bringing bigger swells and strong rips to eastern and northern eastern beaches of the North Island.

Back in Tonga and locals have started picking up the pieces but damage was not as severe as first predicted.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says at the last minute the storm weakened reducing damage.  A few hours earlier it had been a “severe tropical cyclone”.

Cyclone Rene ripped through the island nation last night, ripping off the roofs of some homes, while downing trees and power lines. Electricity was switched off ahead the storm and now contractors are fixing the lines.

Radio Tonga’s English news editor Sophie Price is based on Tongatapu, where she says people are trying to stay positive given there are no reports of injuries or fatalities.

“People are currently out clearing up trees out of roads, bits of building that have obviously come down, working away it.”

Ms Price says she has seen much worse damage from cyclones.

– Additional reporting NewstalkZB.co.nz