APCEDI Alert SP/FJ 05P Daman #8-2008: Cyclone Daman Clears Vanua Levu, Causes Damage in Cikobia

The RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre continue to issue guidance on Cyclone Daman that is currently moving between Fiji's Lau Group and the Northern Tongan Islands.

The centre of Cyclone Daman is located near about 210 kilometres east of Taveuni or 190 kilometres northeast of Cicia in the Lau Group at 1PM this afternoon Fiji time.

Daman is moving to the east-southeast at 25 km/hr, and is expected to maintain this course through the remainder of today, moving away from Fiji. Fortunately for Viti Levu Vanua Levu and Taveuni, Cyclone Daman missed the main population centres on the main islands as well as most of the outliers as well. Only the small island of Cikobia scored a direct hit.

The current forecast map shows Daman moving between the Central and Southern Lau Group and the Central and Southern Tongan Islands without scoring a direct hit on either area. This is very good news for both Fiji and Tonga, but authorities and residents in both show maintain a watchful eye in case of any shifts in course.

Cyclone Daman peaked in intensity yesterday and is now at Category 2 strength on the Saffir Simpson Scale. This equates to Category 3 on the Australia Scale. It will very gradually decline in strength as it moves into cooler waters.

Residents and Authorities throughout Fiji's Lau Group and Tonga need to continue listen to Government warnings and maintain preparation activities in effected areas in line with a Category 2 strength Cyclone on the Saffir Simpson Scale. Residents and authorities in Wallis and Futuna should be mindful of very rough seas in the area.

EFFECTS ON FIJI

CIKOBIA
Cikobia, true to its reputation as Fiji's "cyclone magnet", received a direct hit last night, and sustained considerable damage with most crops destroyed, trees down, extensive coastal erosion, and many houses flattened or sustaining serious damaged according to initial police and news reports. The only communication remaining is through police radio. As has happened in all recent past cyclones (Kina in 1993, Gavin in 1997 and Ami in 2003), the island's residents safely weathered the storm in the strong cyclone-proof community hall near Vunuka and Nalele villages. There have been no reports of serious injuries.

NORTHEAST VANUA LEVU
Yesterday many low-lying areas around Labasa, northeast Vanua Levu, Buca Bay and the Natewa Peninsula were evacuated. Many of these areas reported very heavy rain and squalls, along with coastal flooding, but no major damage or injuries have been reported. Most evacuees have now returned home. Some localised damage to few houses, crops and trees has been reported from Vanua Levu's far northeast Udu Peninsula


ALERTS AND WARNINGS


FIJI

THE HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW CANCELED FOR CIKOBIA, NORTHERN LAU, AND NEARBY ISLANDS.

THE STORM WARNING IS NOW CANCELED FOR TAVEUNI, CENTRAL LAU GROUP AND NEARBY ISLANDS.

A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LAU BUT IS NOW CANCELED FOR THE NORTHERN LAU GROUP.


WALLIS AND FUTUNA

A STRONG WIND WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR ALL WALLIS AND FUTUNA WATERS.


TONGA

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS NOW IN FORCE FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TONGA INCLUDING VAVA'U, HA'APAI, EUA AND TONGATAPU.

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From the RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre

Special Weather Bulletin Number ONE for TONGA ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN ISSUED FROM FUA'AMOTU 1:40PM 08 DEC 2007.

TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS NOW IN FORCE FOR VAVA'U, HA'APAI, EUA AND TONGATAPU.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN CENTRE 940HPA [CATEGORY 4] WAS LOCATED NEAR 16 DECIMAL 2 SOUTH 178 DECIMAL 6 WEST OR ABOUT 550 KM WNW OF VAVAU AT 11:00AM THIS MORNING.

CURRENTLY, CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE, THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS UP
TO 90 KNOTS(165KM/H) WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 125KNOTS(230KM/H). THE CYCLONE IS
NOW MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 10KNOTS(18KM/H) AND EXPECTED TO CURVE MORE TOWARDS
THE SOUTH. TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS
AND IS EXPECTED TO BE OF STORM FORCE WINDS BY THE TIME IT APPROACHES THE FOREWARNED AREAS.

FOR THE VAVA'U, HA'APAI, TONGATAPU AND NEARBY ISLANDS, EXPECT WINDS INCREASING
TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE OF 35KNOTS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS FROM TOMORROW.

The following information is provided especially for the mariners:

TOMORROW EXPECT WINDS OF DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WITHIN 30 MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO 50 MILES WITH VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.

THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 8:00PM TODAY.

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From the RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre

Special Weather Bulletin Number TWENTY-FOUR for FIJI ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI at 2:16pm on Saturday the 8th of December 2007

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LAU BUT IS NOW CANCELLED FOR THE NORTHERN LAU GROUP.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN CENTRE 950HPA [CATEGORY 3] WAS LOCATED NEAR 16 DECIMAL 6 SOUTH 178 DECIMAL 0 WEST OR ABOUT 210 KILOMETRES EAST OF TAVEUNI AND 190 KILOMETRES NORTHEAST OF CICIA AT 1PM TODAY. CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE, THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS UP TO 155 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 220 KM/HR. THE CYCLONE IS MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 25 KM/HR AND EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ON THIS CURRENT TRACK FOR SOME TIME.

FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LAU GROUP, WINDS OF DAMAGING GALE FORCE OF 65 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 110 KM/HR THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

EXPECT RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAU GROUP. SEA FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY AT THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE.

OVER YASAWA, MAMANUCA, VITI LEVU AND KADAVU FIJI EXPECT FINE WEATHER APART FROM ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS.

FOR THE REST OF FIJI OCCASIONAL RAIN GRADUALLY EASING AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

FOR ROTUMA.
SLIGHT TO MODERATE NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS. CLOUDY PERIODS WITH SHOWERS REDEVELOPING AND BECOMING FREQUENT FROM TOMORROW . SLIGHT TO MODERATE SEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS SLOWLY ABATING.

The following information is provided especially for the mariners: EXPECT WINDS OF DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO 55 MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.

FOR THE REST OF FIJI WATERS EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE GROUP, BECOMING SOUTHWEST 15 TO 20 KNOTS ELSEWHERE. MODERATE TO ROUGH SWEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS.


THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR FIJI WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 5PM TODAY.

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APCEDI will continue to monitor the progress of this system.

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

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