The centre of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa is now located about 540 kilometres North West of Nadi and continues to head towards Fiji.
Cyclone Yasa has intensified to a category 5 system and close to its centre, the cyclone is expected to have average winds of upto 220 kilometres per hour with momentary gusts to 315 kilometres per hour.
The Nadi Weather Office says these are very destructive winds.
The cyclone is moving East North East at about 9 kilometres per hour.
Please be advised that destructive winds are likely to begin several hours before the cyclone centre passes overhead or nearby.
Expect strong winds gusting upto 65 kilometres per hour today.
The Weather Office says winds are expected to increase to damaging winds with average speeds of upto 75 kilometres per hour from later today.
Expect sea flooding of coastal areas from storm surges and damaging heavy swells during high tide. The waves will be as high as 6 metres.
Expect winds picking up in Yasawa and Mamanuca group, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and nearby smaller islands.
From 3am tomorrow, winds are expected to further increase to destructive storm force and very destructive hurricane force winds upto 185 kilometres per hour with momentary gusts upto 260 kilometres per hour by 3pm tomorrow.
Flash flooding of low lying areas is expected, expect phenomenal seas and damaging heavy swells.
Expect sea flooding of low-lying coastal areas especially during high tide from storm surges tomorrow and Friday.
A gale warning is now in force for Yasawa and Mamanuca group, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and nearby smaller islands.
A storm surge and damaging heavy swell warning is now in force for coastal waters of Rotuma, Yasawa and Mamanuca group, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and nearby smaller islands.
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 remains in force for low lying areas.
A tropical cyclone alert remains in force for the rest of Fiji.
Secure your property today. Have your supplies ready, have some standby non-perishable food items and water, ensure you have a transistor radio and batteries to follow the weather reports on Legend FM and ensure you have emergency lights and torches.
You can also check out the latest updates, satellite images and track maps on our website, fijivillage
Stay with us for developments.
Related stories;
All schools will remain closed as of 2.30pm today due to the cyclone warning currently in place for the whole of Fiji Group.
All external examinations that were scheduled for this afternoon and tomorrow for Years 12 and 13 students have been postponed. Papers will be rescheduled when the weather is favorable or when the Ministry makes a decision otherwise. All Heads of Schools are advised to ensure that all students sitting the external examination papers this morning must leave for home immediately. All staff may leave by 2pm upon ensuring that the school premises are fully secured.
Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar says Heads of Schools are to ensure that schools used and identified as evacuation centres should be prepared to accommodate those needing shelter and support.
Akbar is urging students and parents not to panic about the remaining papers but keep themselves safe during the cyclone.
She says at this stage the safety and well-being of staff and students is paramount.
The Director of the National Disaster Management Office, Vasiti Soko says evacuation centres are open to allow people to move in if they feel their houses are not secure.
We are currently trying to get the confirmed list of evacuation centres.
Soko says Divisional Commissioners are on the ground to inspect the centres so that it is safe to move in.
She has also confirmed that the MHCC and WG Friendship have been issued notices to secure their buildings.
Soko says that the letter has been issued by the Ministry of Local Government.
She says the cranes on MHCC and WG Plaza will be taken down before TC Yasa hits Fiji tomorrow.
Soko says these letters were also issued to other construction sites in Fiji.
Health Minister Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete has highlighted that the ministry has never been this prepared for any cyclone or disaster that Fiji has experienced.
Doctor Waqainabete says yesterday all command centres have been told to make sure that the facilities are prepared and they have a checklist which they have to go through.
He says from the measles outbreak, COVID-19 and the three tropical cyclones, the command centres has been operating and will continue to operate as COVID-19 is still an ongoing fight.
Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says through budgetary allocations and the Prime Minister’s Trust Fund they have approximately $3.5 million available on hand to meet any of the additional costs.
Sayed-Khaiyum says they are also in discussions with Fiji’s development partners.
He adds that currently Tropical Cyclone Yasa is projected to go through some major populated areas so the impact of that from an economic perspective will be vast.
Sayed-Khaiyum says lets pray and hope the cyclone changes its track.
Yasawa villagers are bracing themselves for one of the most devastating tropical cyclones to enter the Fiji waters.
Pastor Viliame Stark who is serving at Nasoqo village in Naviti Island says they started preparing two days ago, putting up cyclone shutters and making sure every house in the village is secured.
Pastor Stark says they are now experiencing showers, strong winds and rough seas.
He says today they are out in the plantation collecting food rations for families and finalising other preparations that will take them through the cyclone period.
It is calm before the storm in the Mamanucas.
Speaking from Malolo-Lailai, Musket Cove Island Resort General Manager, Joseph Mar says it is better to be safe than sorry and they are preparing well for Cyclone Yasa.
He says they are putting all their boats into the marina and securing all their property.
Mar says they are keeping their fingers crossed that their resort is not badly affected by the cyclone.
People in Lautoka have started to take the necessary precautions as they prepare for Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
Fareena Khan-Barnes of Tavakubu says they have put up shutters and have stocked up on groceries.
Wairebetia resident Sheshant Kumar says people have started to secure their property from yesterday into today.
He says yesterday there was a lot of movement in the City as people were doing their shopping to stock up on supplies.
Kumar adds they are hoping for the best.
People in Navua are taking precautionary measures such as tying down their houses, buying tinned food, batteries, bottled water and trimming trees.
Dhiren Chand who is the Advisory Councillor of Nasasa, Navua says most of the people he met this morning are aware of the severity of the cyclone and he is advising others to prepare for the worst.
Chand says they experienced heavy rain last night but things are very calm at the moment with a light breeze and no rain.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
