APCEDI ALERT 07F #14, 2005: Cyclone Meena Exits Cook Islands; Post-Storm Update

The eye of Cyclone Meena is about 150 miles ( 241 kms) southeast of Mangaia and the storm in now leaving Cook Island's Territory and entering the far southwest corner of French Polynesian Territory. The storm is moving rapidly southeast at 25 knots and should be well in the southern ocean away from all land areas in the next 8-12 hours perhaps giving a glancing blow to the southern island of Rapa in French Polynesia on the way out.

The Cooks have been largely spared a major disaster by Cyclone Meena having failed to make a direct hit on any island, although there is a lot of debris and fairly widespread moderate to occasionally severe flooding-related damage from tidal surge along the immediate coastal belt of Northeastern Rarotonga and Mangaia and to a lesser degree Aitutake. The coastal area of Avarua was particularly hard hit with several businesses being lost. Other islands in Southern Cooks more to the east of the path of Cyclone Meena such as Atiu, Mauke, Manuae and Takutea are reporting superficial damage with some coastal flooding, but nothing significant at this time.

All assessments from the outer islands will be finalised tomorrow and then the National Disaster Committee will meet to determine a national plan of action for the aftermath.

Situation on Rarotonga: Preliminary Information from the Rarotonga Hurricane Centre. No injuries. No casualties reported. Strong storm surge experienced. The well-known Trader Jacks Restaurant on the wharf at Avarua destroyed and only shell of the building standing. Other nearby businesses were also badly damaged or destroyed. Moderate damage to homes and businesses immediately on or near the shore from the eastern part of Avarua eastward along the northeast coast of the island. Government buildings on the east side of town such as the Ministry of Police and Health have damage from tidal surge. Many residences near the coast also have some storm surge damage. No significant damage to airport. Lots of debris along the coast and coastal roads. However, this was largely cleaned up during the afternoon. Power and phone service is still functional throughout most of the island with only isolated outages reported. Lots of damage to cooking sheds, trees and gardens especially in exposed coastal areas along the eastern coast. Damage considerably less inland away from the coast and the tidal surge. People have now left storm shelters and returned home.

Situation on Aitutake: Preliminary Information from the Aitutaki and Rarotonga Hurricane Centre. No injuries. No casualties reported. Large storm surge. 10 houses and 1 church along the coast with serious roof damage. Some damage to trees, gardens and cooking sheds throughout atoll. Lots of debris along the coast and coastal roads. One large tourist boat has gone missing and it is unclear as to whether it has been washed into the lagoon or out to sea. Otherwise only superficial damage to houses and major buildings. Electricity and phone lines have been maintained except for a few isolated areas. The 4 families in Storm Shelters have gone home.

Situation on Mangaia: Preliminary Information from the Mangaia Hurricane Centre. No injuries. No casualties reported. The storm surge was strong and in many areas came 100-150 metres inland. As the storm intensified in the morning, more families in the main village moved into Storm Shelters so the total by the afternoon was about 230 of the islands roughly 670 inhabitants. In the early evening, after the storm passed, most people returned to their homes, but some have stayed as the road is full of debris in many areas. The airstrip has received considerable damage from the tidal surge, and the Rarotonga Hurricane Centre expects that it will take some days to repair the airstrip. Assessments will be carried out early tomorrow morning

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has issued the Latest Tracking Map.

The best visible satellite photo can be found at the Cook Islands Meteorological Service during daylight hours.

FOR COOK ISLANDS
http://www.met.gov.fj/aifs_prods/10120.txt

Special Weather Bulletin Number THIRTY-ONE for Southern Cooks ON TC MEENA
issued from RSMC NADI Feb 07/0633 UTC 2005 UTC.

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING PREVIOUSLY IN FORCE FOR MANGAIA AND NEARBY SMALL ISLANDS IS NOW CANCELLED.

A STRONG WIND WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR RAROTONGA, AITUTAKI, MANUAE, MITIARO, TAKUTEA, ATIU, MAUKE, MANGAIA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

TROPICAL CYCLONE MEENA CENTRE [940hPa] WAS LOCATED NEAR 24.0S 156.4W OR ABOUT 255 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RAROTONGA OR ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MANGAIA AT 070500 UTC. CYCLONE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 25 KNOTS AND EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE FURTHER. MAXIMUM 10-MINUTE AVERAGE WINDS CLOSE TO THE CENTRE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 90 KNOTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 130 KNOTS, DECREASING TO 75 KNOTS IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 HOURS.

TROPICAL CYCLONE MEENA IS WEAKENING. ON ITS CURRENT FORECAST TRACK, THE CYCLONE IS EXPECTED TO LIE ABOUT 400 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RAROTONGA OR ABOUT 300 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MANGAIA AT 071200 UTC.

FOR FOR RAROTONGA, MANGAIA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS: EXPECT WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS, GUSTING 40 KNOTS, GRADUALLY EASING. SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. HEAVY SWELLS.

FOR AITUTAKI, MANUAE, MITIARO, TAKUTEA, ATIU, MAUKE AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS: EXPECTED WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS, GUSTING 40 KNOTS, GRADUALLY EASING. SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. HEAVY SWELLS.

FOR PALMERSTON: WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS AND MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS, GRADUALLY EASING. FEW SHOWERS. ROUGH SEAS. HEAVY SWELLS.

THIS WILL BE THE FINAL SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR THE SOUTHERN COOK ISLANDS AND THE NEXT ISSUE WILL BE THE ROUTINE BULLETIN AT 071530UTC.

APCEDI will continue to monitor the progress of this tropical system.

SPECIAL THANKS; At this point APCEDI would like to point out the preparedness operations of the Cook Islands Authorities before, during and after this storm were excellent not only in Rarotonga but in the outer islands. All disaster officials spoken to have been very helpful and very knowledgeable about the situation. The people and authorities of the Cook Islands should be very proud about the high degree of readiness and professionalism of their nationwide preparedness operations. This could likely serve as an ideal model for other island nations.

APCEDI would also like to thank the Fiji Meteorological Service. Their reporting through this storm has been outstanding and very timely. The FMS officials which APCEDI have dealt with during the storm have also been most helpful and informative. The improvements made to the Fiji Meteorological Service website have been excellent and will be very helpful in future storms.

APCEDI would also like to specially thank AusAID for funding this AFAP website. Since the start of Cyclone Meena, the site has received over 5,000 hits from the Cook Islands, the Pacific and around the world, and has now been linked by the BBC, USA Today and other major news websites around the globe. As with other AFAP cutting edge technologies like our Dengue Fever Program and Forest Garden Program , we thank AusAID for helping support this pioneering service for the Asia-Pacific Region. More information on AFAP's programs can be found on AFAP's Website.

Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator
http://www.afap.org/apcedi/