As Tropical Cyclone Mal has now entered the Fiji Group, a Storm Warning is in force for Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups, Western and Southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands.
TC Mal is also likely to intensify into a category 3 system later tonight.
It was located 230 kilometres west of Yasawa or 240 kilometres west-northwest of Nadi at 9pm.
Yasawa is currently experiencing sustained winds of around 65 kilometres per hour and gusts of around 80 kilometres per hour.
The Nadi Weather Office says a Gale Warning remains in force for Rotuma, western half of Vanua Levu [Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu], Eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group.
A Strong Wind Warning remains in force for the rest of Fiji.
A Heavy Rain Warning remains in force for the whole of Fiji. A Flash Flood Alert is in force for flood prone, small streams and low-lying areas across Viti Levu.
The centre of Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Mal is located about 230 kilometres west of Yasawa or about 240km west-northwest of Nadi at 9pm.
TC Mal has maximum winds of 110 kilometres per hour, gusting to 155 kilometres per hour, increasing to 120 kilometres per hour, gusting to 170 kilometres per hour by midnight tonight.
The system is moving southeast at 29 kilometres per hour and approaching the Fiji waters.
At around midnight tonight, TC Mal is expected to be located about 220 kilometres west-southwest of Yasawa-i-Rara or about 200 kilometres west-northwest of Nadi.
Gale force winds with speeds of 65 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour is expected from this evening over Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups, and from later this evening or tonight over Western, Northern and Southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands.
The intensity of the winds is expected to further increase to storm force with speeds of 95 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 130 kilometres per hour from tonight.
For the western half of Vanua Levu [Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu], Eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group, expect gale force winds with speeds of 85 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour from this evening or later at night.
For the rest of the Fiji Group, gale force winds are expected with speeds of 55 kilometres per hour and gusts up to 80 kilometres per hour from tonight.
Gale force winds can cause significant damage to houses of very light materials and old galvanized iron roofs can be blown off.
It is likely to cause disruption in communication networks and power supply due to damaged power lines, and small trees, most plants and crops are expected to be damaged and downed.
Storm force winds can damage weakly constructed houses and old residential structures. It can also break large trees which may consequently block roads and affect transport routes.
Meanwhile, heavy rain and thunderstorms is expected to continue over most parts of the Fiji group.
This will cause localised flooding of low-lying and flood prone areas, localised flooding of minor roads, Irish crossings and bridges which may disrupt traffic flow, and poor visibility out at sea and on land with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents due to slippery roads.
Mariners and seafearers are advised of increased risk for sea travel for all types of sea crafts due to gale and storm force winds over Fiji Waters.
Hazardous breaking waves and coastal inundation of debris is expected along low-lying coastal areas, especially during high tides.
The Weather Office says the impact of TC Mal should gradually ease from later tomorrow.
Fijians in the western division are currently facing the brunt of category 3 Tropical Cyclone Mal where people say it is very windy and raining.
Pravin Sharma from Moto, Ba says there is heavy rain that intensifies momentarily while they are also experiencing strong winds.
He says this started at around midnight but had quietened down for a bit however, heavy rain and strong winds have picked up again.
He says power went out at about 3am this morning.
Nabitu, Sigatoka resident Abhay Sharma says strong winds and heavy rains has stopped this morning.
Emitai Karatu who is an emplyee at Gecko’s Hotel in Sigatoka says there haven’t been any major flooding right now.
Tanoa Hotel Lautoka staff Sairusi Vasu also told fijivillage News that strong winds started at about 2am but there is no rain at the moment.
Severe tropical cyclone Mal was located 145 kilometres west-southwest of Nadi or 150 kilometres south-southwest of Viwa and 225 kilometres west-northwest of Kadavu at 3am.
It is moving in a south-southeast direction at about 23 kilometres per hour closer to the Fiji Group.
Worst of the impact of TC Mal is expected to be felt until early this morning.
Stay with us for updates.
Villagers of Yasawa-i-rara will rely on the newly built houses as their evacuation centre tonight after seeing huge waves crashing on their beach as Tropical Cyclone Mal approaches Fiji.
Village headman Naelesoni Toqitoqi says members of their village are taking precautionary measures and with the assistance of the district nurse, they were able to relocate 12 of their elders to a house that will be used as their evacuation centre.
Toqitoqi says the 115 villagers are well-briefed on the situation and children have also been told what to do next if Tropical Cyclone Mal brings tidal waves.
He says canned food has been prepared at the evacuation centre with crops that can be used for 3 days.
The village headman says they went through cyclones in the past years and have lost most of their strong houses that used to be their previous evacuation centres.
Tonight, they hope the newly built homes will take care of them as they focus on Cyclone Mal.
He says the request to construct a new evacuation centre was sent to the previous Government.
They are still waiting for the government of the day to assist them in providing a new emergency shelter.
Meanwhile, TC Mal is also likely to intensify into a category 3 system as it approaches the Fiji Group tonight.
The Nadi Weather Office says a Gale Warning remains in force for Rotuma, the Western half of Vanua Levu [Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu], Eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group.
A Strong Wind Warning remains in force for the rest of Fiji.
A Heavy Rain Warning remains in force for the whole of Fiji.
A Flash Flood Alert is in force for flood-prone, small streams and low-lying areas across Viti Levu.
The centre of Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Mal is located about 340 kilometres west-northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara or about 390 kilometres northwest of Nadi.
Read More here: https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Tropical-Cyclone-warnings-in-place-for-Fiji-tonight-TC-Mal-likely-to-intensify-into-a-category-3-system-8frx54/
As Tropical Cyclone Mal tracks towards the Fiji Group, people in the western division are beginning to feel its impact and are prepared for the worst.
Nawaka, Nadi resident, Anit Ram says the wind is starting to pick up from this hour and the sea has been rough.
He says they have water and power supply but are prepared if or when supply is disrupted.
Amol Kumar from Lautoka City says the wind started to pick up at about 3.30pm but it is not raining right now.
He says the City has emptied out but people are fueling up at service stations.
Sigatoka resident, Abhay Sharma says it seems like it is about to rain heavily but it is not windy.
He says people are fully prepared and if need be they are ready to evacuate to Nabitu Primary School.
Kamal Narayan from Nakaulevu in Navua also says that the condition is calm but they are prepared for the worst.
He adds Navua River level is normal right now.
TC Mal is also likely to intensify into a category 3 system as it approaches the Fiji Group tonight.
The centre is located about 340 kilometres west-northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara or about 390 kilometres northwest of Nadi.
Stay with us for updates.
Read More here: https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Tropical-Cyclone-warnings-in-place-for-Fiji-tonight-TC-Mal-likely-to-intensify-into-a-category-3-system-8frx54/
Energy Fiji Limited is advising people that a totally different approach with an extremely high safety focus is taken in the process of power restoration during a cyclone-related power outage.
As Tropical Cyclone Mal moves closer to the Fiji group, EFL says during cyclones, an electricity network is impacted, particularly the overhead like power lines could be broken and poles may have fallen and/or displaced, landslides bringing trees/vegetation onto power lines, customer service mains (black wire connecting the EFL grid supply to individual installations) may be broken and/or houses damaged, or pillar boxes (customer service mains connection point) could have sustained water damage due to flooding
EFL says for safety reasons, every metre of the overhead power line needs to be inspected and confirmed safe, as well as a visual confirmation that there are no damages to any house supplied by the EFL grid before the power line is repaired, if necessary and then switched on.
On the other hand, in the event of an unplanned power outage during normal times, the power restoration process involves restarting the power generators and switching on areas one at a time.
EFL says the process is generally straightforward and restoration of supply is accomplished without too much delay.
They add that there has to be a positive safety confirmation as assumptions cannot be made that the power lines and houses are not damaged.
EFL says this could be livening up an unsafe power line or customer service mains and causing an electrical incident/accident which could lead to fatality or electrical fires that could damage property.
They are also advising their customers that it could take at least three days after the cyclone all-clear is issued by the Fiji Meteorological Service and/or DISMAC and the helicopter patrol of the overhead power lines has been carried out before they would be in a position to advise customers of expected restoration times, and this would be communicated to the customers via various communication mediums and updated daily.
Read More here: https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Tropical-Cyclone-warnings-in-place-for-Fiji-tonight-TC-Mal-likely-to-intensify-into-a-category-3-system-8frx54/
There will be controlled movements from 6pm this evening to 4am tomorrow in vulnerable places in the country as a result of the approaching Tropical Cyclone Mal.
National Disaster Management Office Director, Vasiti Soko says this decision has been made after discussions with the NDMO Emergency Committee and Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.
All non-essential civil servants are to continue working at home tomorrow.
The Director also clarified that this is not a curfew, and they are focused on getting people loitering to go home.
A message from fijivillage News - Parents please ensure your children remain at home, and people are urged not to venture out into flooded areas to go to functions.
Please do not go out in boats to visit loved ones as we expect very rough seas tonight into tomorrow.
Stay with us for developments.
Read More here: https://www.fijivillage.com/news/TC-Mal-likely-to-intensify-to-Cat-3-as-it-approaches-Fiji-x584rf/
More than 290 people have moved to 8 evacuation centres around the country.
National Disaster Management Office Director Vasiti Soko says they have one evacuation centre in the Central Division, two in the Western Division and four centres are open in the Eastern Division.
Soko says each of these evacuation centres is manned by two police officers, 1 male and 1 female officer who are always on standby to ensure the safety and security of evacuees, especially members of the vulnerable group.
She says in areas where they don’t have police, they have the Turaga ni Koro as their groundkeepers.
The Director says the Turaga ni Koro and their members will be providing security at the evacuation centres and will also update them on the situation at the centres.
People residing in coastal areas please take precautionary measures as waves measuring 4 metres high are expected to hit our coastal regions, and waves measuring 9 metres high can be expected in the open sea.
NDMO Director Vasiti Soko says TC Mal has the possibility of moving closer to the Western Division and the centre will remain on the western side of Viti Levu.
She says as it moves closer to the Fiji Group, there is a high possibility that it will likely intensify into a Category 3 system as it approaches the system tonight.
Soko says the Fiji Meteorological Services has also confirmed that although it’s a Category 2 cyclone, people should brace for intensified wind speed as strong winds of around 120 km/hr is expected from this afternoon.
She also stresses that people should move to higher ground while it is still daylight.
Yasawa North Principal Tomasi Lakeba says the people of Yasawa are currently experiencing strong winds and heavy rain as Tropical Cyclone Mal approaches Fiji.
Lakeba says the weather was fine from last night to this morning however it started getting worse from about lunch time.
He says as soon as they heard the cyclone warning yesterday, they started preparing for it.
They have secured all the classrooms.
He says the village community hall is also set up as an evacuation centre and a school is also on standby for evacuation in case of an emergency.
Residents of Qauia settlement have put up shutters and are stocking up on food supply and water before Tropical Cyclone Mal comes closer to Fiji later today.
Qauia resident, Apisalome Moce says everyone is on high alert, and they are ready as the area was also flooded yesterday.
Moce says this morning, the water level at the Irish Crossing in Qauia had gone down, and people managed to cross over to get supplies.
He adds that since yesterday, every resident in Qauia has worked together to clean the drainage to avoid flooding in the settlement.
Moce says they are already experiencing low water pressure, and are stocking up on emergency water.
Malolo Island Resort Manager Sakaraia Vonotabua says contingency plans are in place if Tropical Cyclone Mal intensifies.
Vonotabua says they have been monitoring the situation and also advised their guests on the current path of the cyclone.
He says they understand the cyclone is approaching the country and they are well prepared.
The Resort Manager says all travel is suspended and they will re-open once the authorities have given the green light.
He adds they will closely monitor the situation and listen to the advice from the Fiji Meteorological Office.
To ensure the safety of the elderly, the pregnant women and the vulnerable in the community, the villagers of Silana in Tailevu have relocated the elderly people to Navunisea Primary School in Tailevu before nightfall.
Silana villager, Sanaila Rokotuivuna says they had already experienced cyclone devastation when Winston hit Fiji in 2016, and this time the villagers have not left things to the last minute.
Rokotuivuna says food and water has been stored by villagers and they also have put up shutters.
He says it was calm and sunny at Silana Village earlier today and villagers continued with their chores but they were getting prepared for Cyclone Mal as well.
Read More here: https://www.fijivillage.com/news/TC-Mal-likely-to-intensify-to-Cat-3-as-it-approaches-Fiji-x584rf/
Rotuma is currently experiencing heavy rain and strong winds as Tropical Cyclone Mal approaches the Fiji group.
Rotuma High School Principal, Liku Tuapati has told fijivillage News that everyone is indoors and they have put up cyclone shutters.
She says they have also stored food and water to sustain them during the cyclone.
Tuapati says the Rotuma Island DISMAC team has informed the villagers about the cyclone reaching the Fiji Group today and they have closed off their Post Office.
She says they are also experiencing weak internet connection.
Divisional Police Commander North Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka is urging people in the North living in low-lying areas to move now before it gets dark.
SSP Baledrokadroka is also urging parents and guardians to ensure the safety of their families and not let children go out to flooded areas or play in flooded rivers and drains.
No evacuation centres are open in the North for now but they are all on standby if the weather changes.
Speaking to fijivillage News, SSP Baledrokadroka says it’s quiet at the moment, and they are closely monitoring the situation.
He says no serious problems have occurred overnight, but the team in the North is prepared.
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