Tropical Cyclone Evan a cat 4 and deaths.
Posted by hanna on 12/17/2012, 12:46 am
  2 deaths reported as Cyclone Evan rips through Samoan islands By CNN Staff updated 9:40 PM EST, Thu December 13, 2012  CNN) -- Tropical Cyclone Evan is battering the South Pacific with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and gusts up to 144 mph, according to the Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii. And things might get worse. Forecasters predict Evan could get stronger over the next 36 hours, evolving into a more powerful Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 126 mph, as it creeps southwest, away from the Samoan islands and toward Fiji. Fiji's meteorological service said Evan was expected to arrive in that country's waters by Sunday. The National Weather Service in Pago Pago, American Samoa, canceled its gale warning Thursday, but reiterated high surf and small craft advisories for the islands, expecting gusts up to 35 mph, heavy rain and towering waves. There were reports of two deaths in Samoa, an independent country with a population of 183,000. American Samoa is a U.S. territory with a population of about 55,000. Journalist Cherelle Jackson told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that there was heavy damage in the Samoan capital of Apia, with houses flattened by the storm. Storm surge and high surf, which the U.S. National Weather Service said could reach 20 feet in the islands, was making a mess of Apia, Jackson said, adding water and power service had been knocked out. Many of the open-style Samoan homes, or fales, which don't have windows or doors, sustained heavy damage, she said. "I don't think we were well prepared because the warning didn't get serious until late last night," Jackson said in a phone interview with the Australian network. Jackson said food could be a problem once the storm passes because the trees that supply Samoan staples, such as breadfruit, taro and bananas, had taken a heavy hit from the storm's winds. "The breadfruits are just all over the road," she said. The New Zealand high commissioner in Apia, Nick Hurley, told Radio New Zealand of heavy damage. "From what I have seen and heard it has made a huge impact on, for a start, all the vegetation, the trees, the infrastructure, all around Apia the power is out. A lot of people don't have any water . The trees have snapped, in a lot of cases have actually come down across roads, crashed into the fale, onto the houses," Hurley is quoted as saying. CNN's Jessica King contributed to this report and Brad Lendon and Mark Morgenstein wrote this report http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/13/world/samoan-islands-cyclone/index.html Fiji braces for destructive damage as cyclone Evan brings stormy weather SUVA, Dec. 17 - With many areas around Fiji experiencing power blackouts as tropical cyclone Evan's intensity strengthened Monday, families were bracing themselves for the worst, according to reports Monday. This was as a hurricane warning remained in force for the Fiji' s Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands and a storm warning remained in force for Fiji's western division and nearby smaller islands as well as the northern division. A strong wind warning remained in force for many other places of Fiji, causing businesses to close and employers to advise workers to remain at home for safety. A damaging heavy swell warning also remained in force. Evan, which was still a category 4 cyclone, was located about 115 km west of Labasa town and about 185 km north-northeast of the resort town of Nadi at 6.30 a.m. local time, according to the Fiji Meteorological Service. It was moving southwest at about 22 km per hour. Close to its center, the cyclone is expected to have average winds of up to 185 km per hour with momentary gusts to 270 km per hour. The center of Evan is projected to move over the Yasawa and Mamanuca group of islands around midday Monday, said the Fiji Meteorological Service. Duty forecaster Terry Atalifo told local radio station Fijivillage that when Evan moves closer to the Yasawa and Mamanuca group of islands, destructive winds will begin and people need to be prepared. The Yasawa group will be feeling the strongest effect of Evan but people in other parts should be prepared as the tropical cyclone is a large system and is expected to maintain its current intensity till Tuesday. The Fiji Meteorological Service has underscored that people need to be prepared for sea flooding and that swimming is not allowed in the sea for those in coastal areas. Damaging heavy waves and swells generated by the combined effects of Evan and an intense area of high pressure to the far south of Fiji are still expected. The capital city of Suva and nearby towns continued to experience strengthening winds and increasing rain. Significant roofing loss, structural damages and widespread power failure as well as water supplies cut are expected from this Category 4 cyclone. It takes a while to being up the Fiji Meteorological Service. This is their Tropical Cyclone Center page. http://www.met.gov.fj/international_warn.htm |
152
In this thread:
- Re: Tropical Cyclone Evan a cat 4 and deaths. - hanna, 12/17/2012, 12:48 am
Post A Reply
This thread has been archived and can no longer receive replies.