NEIGHBOURING Fiji is bracing for a possibility of two tropical cyclones predicted to hit the Island nation between the November to April cyclone season with one possibly reaching category three.
And there is a high probability that these cyclones will pass close to, or over, the northern and eastern parts of Fiji.
This has been forecasted in the Fiji Meteorological Service annual Tropical Season Outlook released yesterday.
The outlook predicts the possible tropical cyclones would also bring about heavy rainstorms.
Fiji’s Permanent secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, Commander Francis Kean said while the tropical cyclones were predictions only, it was critical that communities across Fiji acted responsibly and paid close attention to all weather updates issued by the Fiji Meteorological Service and Government.
“It is very important that Fijians are quick to heed warnings and take the necessary precautions in order to save lives and protect property,” he said.
Cdr Kean said there were higher than average chances that severe tropical cyclones would affect the region this season.
He said based on the latest information, tropical cyclone activity for Wallis and Futuna, Tuvalu, Samoa, Niue, Tonga, Southern Cook Islands, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were predicted to be high while cyclone activity for Fiji, New Caledonia, Northern Cook Islands and French Polynesia were predicted to be moderate and cyclone activity for Tokelau was predicted to be low.
Cdr Kean said the chances of severe cyclones were high this season for Tuvalu, Samoa, Niue, Tonga, Southern Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands and moderate for Fiji, New Caledonia, Northern Cook Islands and French Polynesia and low for Kiribati, Tokelau and Wallis and Futuna.
The official 2014/2015 tropical cyclone season begins on November 1 last year and ends on April 30 next year and the peak period for cyclones in the region is usually from January to March.
