Powerful Cat 5 Cyclone tears into Fiji and moves on to Tonga

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Powerful cyclone Harold slammed into the South Pacific island nation of Fiji Wednesday, cutting off communications, causing buildings to collapse and injuring residents in Suva, the capital. The category 5 cyclone has already killed 27 people in the Solomon Islands and wreaked havoc in Vanuatu. The cyclone crisis in the South Pacific comes as local Island nations brace for the coronavirus pandemic.

No deaths from the storm were recorded in Fiji, although Vasiti Soko, director of the National Disaster Management Office told the Epoch Times: “We’ve seen reports of injuries. As to the number, as well as the intensity, of the injuries, that’s yet to be ascertained.” Emergency officials were trying to contact the island of Kadavu after the storm cut off communications with it, Soko added.

Already in partial lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fijians were instructed by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama to stay at home unless ordered to evacuate. Fiji has had 15 COVID-19 infections and no deaths. “Our evacuation centers are safe, they are sanitized and monitored to ensure they do not surpass capacity,” the Prime Minister posted on Wednesday.

As expected, the ferocious storm continued on to Tonga, passing the Polynesian kingdom on Thursday morning local time. The Tongan Meteorological Service gave warnings for the Tongatapu and ‘Eua Island groups to prepare for hurricane-force winds of up to 117kph, ABC News reported. The Tongan National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) advised residents to keep away from coastal areas and avoid maritime travel until the storm has passed.

Warnings of powerful winds were also issued to the Ha’apai, Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau island groups and Vava’u, Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou islands, ABC said.

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