APCEDI Alert SP/FJ 05P Daman #9-2008: Cyclone Daman Moving between Fiji's Lau Group and Tonga.

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 Central Tongan Islands.

The centre of Cyclone Daman is located near about 140 kilometres northeast of Lakeba or 215 kilometres north-northeast of Kabara in the Lau Group at 10PM this evening Fiji time.

Daman is moving to the southeast at 15 km/hr, and is expected to turn more southerly tomorrow.

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 1 strength on the Saffir Simpson Scale. This equates to Category 2 on the Australia Scale. It will very gradually decline in strength as it moves into cooler waters.

Given that Daman is passing between Fiji and Tonga, cyclone alerts have been discontinued for all areas except the southern most island in the Lau Group Ona-i-Lau. Residents and authorities there should maintain preparation activities in line with a Category 1 strength Cyclone on the Saffir Simpson Scale and be particularly careful should the cyclone recurve to the southwest as some models show. Residents and Authorities throughout the rest of Fiji's Lau Group and Tonga need to continue monitor the situation and listen to Government warnings.

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. Police are now reporting 17 houses destroyed or seriously damaged, and a further 13 dwellings deroofed. 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. Some reports from the west side of the island note some people also sheltered in caves. There have been no reports of serious injuries. A survey team is planning to go there tomorrow.

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 and Natewa Peninsula and from Taveuni. Several roads in northeast Vanua Levu and Taveuni are still blocked by fallen trees and branches, but will likely be cleared tomorrow.


ALERTS AND WARNINGS


FIJI

A GALE WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR VANUA BALAVU, MUNIA, CIKOBIA, KATAFAGA, TUVUCA, ONEATA, MOCE, KOMO, NAMUKA. KABARA, OGEA, FULAGA,VATOA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS IN FORCE FOR ONO-I-LAU.


WALLIS AND FUTUNA

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


TONGA

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TONGA.
STRONG WIND WARNING AND DAMAGING SWELLS REMAIN IN FORCE FOR ALL TONGA WATERS

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From the RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre

Special Weather Bulletin Number TWO for Tonga ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI

Dec 08/0530 UTC 2007 UTC.

TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT CANCELLATION.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TONGA.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN CENTRE 970HPA [CATEGORY 3] LOCATED NEAR 16 DECIMAL
7 SOUTH 178 DECIMAL 4 WEST AT 0300 UTC.

CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE, THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS UP TO 120 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 170 KM/HR. TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN HAS WEAKENED OVER THE LAST 12 HOURS. THE CYCLONE IS NOW MOVING SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 13 KM/HR AND IS EXPECTED TO CURVE TOWARDS THE SOUTHWEST WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. IT THEREFORE NO LONGER POSES ANY DIRECT THREAT TO CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TONGA. TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

THERE WILL BE NO OTHER SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETINS ISSUED ON TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN, UNLESS THE SYSTEM RECURVES AND APPROACHES TONGA.

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From the RSMC-Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre

Special Weather Bulletin Number TWENTY-SEVEN for Fiji ON SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI at 10:44pm on Saturday the 8th of December 2007

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

A GALE WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR VANUA BALAVU, MUNIA, CIKOBIA,KATAFAGA, TUVUCA, ONEATA, MOCE, KOMO, NAMUKA. KABARA, OGEA, FULAGA, VATOA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS IN FORCE FOR ONO-I-LAU.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE DAMAN CENTRE 970HPA [CATEGORY 3] WAS LOCATED NEAR 17 DECIMAL 3 SOUTH 177 DECIMAL 9 WEST OR ABOUT 140 KILOMETRES TO THE NORTHEAST OF LAKEBA OR 215 KILOMETRES NORTH-NORTHEAST OF KABARA AT 10PM TONIGHT. CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE, THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS UP TO 120 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 170 KM/HR. THE CYCLONE IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 15 KM/HR AND EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TURN TOWARDS THE SOUTH .

ON THIS TRACK, THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO LIE ABOUT 140 KILOMETRES TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST OF LAKEBA AT 6AM TOMORROW AND ABOUT 140 KILOMETRES EAST OF KABARA AT 6PM TOMORROW EVENING.

FOR VANUA BALAVU, MUNIA, CIKOBIA, KATAFAGA, TUVUCA, ONEATA, MOCE, KOMO, NAMUKA. KABARA, OGEA, FULAGA, VATOA AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS, EXPECT WINDS OF DAMAGING GALE FORCE OF 65 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 100 KM/HR FROM TONIGHT. WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN AS THE CYCLONE MOVES OVERHEAD OR NEARBY.

FOR ONO-I-LAU, WINDS MAY STRENGTHEN TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH SPEEDS UP TO 65 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 100 KM/HR LATER TOMORROW IF THE CYCLONE MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT INTENSITY AND TRACK.

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

FOR THE REST OF FIJI, FINE WEATHER APART FROM SOME AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE MAIN ISLANDS. SOUTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS FRESH AND GUSTY AT TIMES. ROUGH SEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS.

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

The following information is provided especially for the mariners: WINDS OF HURRICANE FORCE WITHIN 20 MILES OF CENTRE WITH PHENOMINAL SEAS. DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN 35 MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS TO 55 MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.

FOR KORO SEA, VATU-I-RA PASSAGE, KADAVU PASSAGE AND SOUTHWEST VITI LEVU, SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. ROUGH SEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS. ELSEWHERE, SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 KNOTS. MODERATE SEAS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS.

THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR FIJI WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 2AM TOMORROW MORNING.

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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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