The Nadi Weather Office says the centre of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa is expected to make landfall over the province of Bua at 8pm tonight.
Yasa’s centre is expected to be located about 90 kilometres West South West of Labasa this evening.
Cyclone Yasa is located about 140 kilometres West North West of Labasa.
Close to its centre the cyclone is expected to have very destructive winds upto 240 kilometres per hour with momentary gusts to 345 kilometres per hour.
The cyclone is moving East South East at about 24 kilometres per hour.
A hurricane warning remains in force for Yasawa group, Northern and Eastern half of Viti Levu (from Tavua to Rakiraki to Korovou, through to Suva to Navua), Vanua Levu and nearby smaller islands including Yadua, Galoa, Kia and Mali, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands, Matuku, Moala, Totoya and Lomaiviti group.
A storm warning remains in force for Mamanuca group, the rest of Viti Levu, Cikobia and the rest of Lau group.
A gale warning remains in force for Rotuma, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands.
A storm surge and damaging heavy swell warning remains in force for coastal waters of Rotuma, Yasawa and Mamanuca group, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and nearby smaller islands, Taveuni and nearby smaller islands, :Lomaiviti and Lau group.
A heavy rain warning remains in force for the whole of Fiji.
A severe flood warning is in force for low lying areas and areas adjacent to Vatukacevaceva and downstream of Rakiraki Town.
A flash flood warning remains in force for the low lying areas and areas adjacent to small streams for Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, areas adjacent to Dreketilailai to Qawa River, low lying areas and areas adjacent to Bagata River in Savusavu.
A flash flood alert remain in force for low lying areas and areas adjacent to major rivers for Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
At 8am tomorrow, the centre of Yasa is expected to be about 165 kilometres East of Suva.
Destructive winds are expected this afternoon, tonight into tomorrow before the cyclone centre passes overhead or nearby.
Expect very destructive hurricane force winds upto 240 kilometres per hour with momentary gusts upto 345 kilometres per hour, periods of heavy rain and squally thunderstorms, flash flooding of low lying areas expected, landslides likely especially with continuous heavy falls, phenomenal seas and damaging heavy swells.
Storm surge with sea flooding of low lying coastal areas expected during high tides, with storm surge heights up to 3 metres expected along the coast when the cyclone centre passes nearby.
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The Fiji Roads Authority says Kings Highway is closed at Rakiraki Flats.
The road there is flooded and it is inaccessible.
There is a landslide along Kings Highway at Viwa.
The Fiji Roads Authority says their contractors are there to carry out clearing works.
Very destructive winds are now being felt in the islands across Yasawa and there has already been damage to houses in one village.
In Nasoqo village on the island of Naviti, seawater has started to enter the village compound.
Villager Waisea Stark says crops and trees have been uprooted and the roofs of some houses have been blown away but they will be able to get a much clearer picture of the situation when it is safe.
Mass evacuation was also carried out at Gunu village on Naviti Island.
Gunu villager, Anare Tiko says they moved to Gaunavou Primary School this morning and all the families residing in the school are surviving by sharing whatever they have.
People in Navua have started experiencing strong winds.
Dhiren Chand who is the Advisory Councillor of Nasasa, Navua says they have been experiencing strong winds and at times heavy rain since 11 o’çlock this morning.
Chand says they are expecting winds to get much stronger later today.
A State of Natural Disaster has been declared for the whole of Fiji for the next 30 days.
While making the announcement NDMO Director, Vasiti Soko says this is active from yesterday.
Soko says this declaration will come with regulations.
She says this allows the NDMO to call on all of the government's assets to be on standby and be mobilized.
Soko says the declaration allows the NDMO to efficiently and effectively plan and coordinate the preparedness and response phases for Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
She says it will also assist NDMO, ministries and departments to manage and control activities to ensure the safety and security of the public.
The declaration means the evacuation of people in their own interests, or in order to facilitate the necessary operations of the Police or Military personnel, the temporary acquisition or control of any property, undertaking or land, the entering and searching of any premises and the supply and distribution of essential relief supplies, medical assistance, shelter or other resources.
It also means the maintenance of transportation by land, sea or air and the control of the transport of persons and resources, directing the movement of persons by land, sea or air in the interest of safety and prohibiting the unjustified exploitation of a disaster for profit.
Soko says this declaration was made upon the advice of the Emergency Committee, as per the powers conferred on the Cabinet by section 17 of the Natural Disaster Management Act 1998.
She says should members of the public require evacuation after 4pm, they can contact their District Office or Police Station nearest to them but has advised the public to ensure that all movements especially evacuations occur as much as possible before 4pm.
Under the declaration, any person, body or entity who contravenes any order made by an officer of the Fiji Police Force or the Republic of the Fiji Military Forces in performing a role or discharging a responsibility under these regulations commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.
The Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu has advised members of the public that curfew passes will be issued for emergency cases only.
This is in line with the directives by the National Disaster Management Office this afternoon in terms of the new curfew hours due to Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
The Acting Commissioner said unnecessary movement will be prohibited and passes will be issued for emergency cases only.
He adds that those who wish to travel due to emergency cases can obtain passes from NDMO or any of the Divisional Command Centres, Totogo Police Station, Korovou Police Station, Levuka Police Station, Vunidawa Police Station, Sigatoka Police Station, Nadi Police Station, Ba Police Station, Rakiraki Police Station, Tavua Police Station, Nabouwalu Police Station, Seaqaqa Police Station, Taveuni Police Station, Tukavesi Police Station, Savusavu Police Station, Navua Police Station, Lami Police Station, Nasinu Police Station and Valelevu Police Station.
The Acting Commissioner is reminding members of the public that officers will also be manning the checkpoint at various locations to ensure no unnecessary movement.
531 people are currently sheltering in 24 evacuation centres in the Western, Central and Northern Division.
286 people are sheltering in 5 evacuation centres in the Western Division, 140 people in 7 centres in the North and 105 people in 12 evacuation centres in the Central Division.
Meanwhile Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama says he stopped over at evacuation centres at the Delainamasi Government School and Bishop Kempthorne Memorial School to check on Fijians preparing for Cyclone Yasa’s arrival.
Bainimarama says there are now over 50 evacuation centres opened and occupied across the country.
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The Ministry of Health has relocated the Nausori Health Centre and the Maternity Unit to Vunimono Secondary School this morning.
This is due to Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa approaching the country.
The Ministry says there is a risk of flash flooding and a threat of structural damage is anticipated for the Nausori Health Centre.
They say there will be limited maternity services available, however, the CWM and Makoi Maternity Units will be on standby to accept maternity cases. The Ministry adds the Nausori Health Centre will be operating 24 hours from today.
About 40 people from Madhuvani, Rakiraki and nearby areas have evacuated to Madhuvani Sangam Primary School as they are experiencing destructive winds and heavy rain.
Advisory Councillor, Pardip Kumar says more people are coming in to take shelter and are calling him for assistance.
Villagers in Matacawalevu in Yasawa are starting to experience damaging winds and heavy rain.
Village headman, Jone Toge says the sea is starting to get rough and tree branches have started to fall.
He says they have restricted movement in the village.
Toge says a group of men are helping people move to their village hall which has been set up as a evacuation centre.
Flood waters have started to enter most of the shops in Rakiraki Town.
People residing near the town have started to move to evacuation centres as flood waters have started to enter their compounds.
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