Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Tomas was located about 405 KM North-North East of Udu Point in Vanua Levu at 7 am Fijian time today.

Close to its centre the cyclone is estimated to have average winds of 100 km per hour and increasing to 155 km per hour with momentary gusts of up to 220 km per hour in the next 18 to 24 hours.

The cyclone is intensifying and moving South-West at 8 km per hour.

Damaging gale force winds extend to about 280 km from the Cyclone Centre. People living in Vanua Levu, Taveuni and nearby islands and the Northern Lau group should expect winds to strengthen further today and reach damaging gale force by early tomorrow with average speeds of 85 km per hour and momentary gusts of 120 km per hour.

Winds are expected to increase to destructive storm force to very destructive hurricane later tomorrow.

Periods of rain becoming frequent and heavy with squally thunderstorms, damaging heavy swells, and flooding including sea flooding of low lying coastal areas expected.

Nadi Weather Office Director Rajendra Prasad says the whole country will be placed under warning soon.

“And we will be expanding the warning to other parts of the country later in the day and I think by sunset today we will have almost the whole country under warning and that means people should brace fully for a direct hit of this cyclone.”

Earlier story

From the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, this statement has been issued within the last hour….

A Tropical Cyclone WARNING has been issued for the Northern Division and the Northern Lau Group.

The status has been upgraded from cyclone alert to warning by the Nadi Weather Office however they are saying the rest of the country remains on Cyclone ALERT. This can be upgraded to a WARNING as Cyclone TOMAS moves closer to Fiji.

The effects of Tropical Cyclone TOMAS are already being felt in UDU Point in Vanua Levu with strong winds, rough seas and heavy rains being experienced.

Udu’s LAGI Health Centre staff nurse VINI VELAVELA says there was a change in weather yesterday.

“We just made a call to the village in Vunakodi and according to a woman there she said they are experiencing strong winds plus heavy rain and sea too they can see its rough but at Langi we are experiencing strong winds only not heavy rain, we had strong winds last night accompanied by rain but houses here are being shuttered, people are here and come to higher areas and some of them are in the health centre with me.”

Reports from MAGODRO in BA, in the interior of Viti Levu state, the weather there changed dramatically overnight.

Reverend WAISEA RATU says winds were quite strong this morning and dark rain clouds are covering the sky.

From Savusavu, we have received reports of strong winds that have flattened banana trees and have badly shaken some coconut trees. People there are battering down their houses and taking every precautions needed to prepare for the winds.

FIJI BROADCASTING CORP