TC Harold intensifies into Category 5 system and continues to move in the east-southeast direction and affecting the Lau Group

Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold has intensified into a Category 5 system and continues to move in the east-southeast direction and is currently affecting the Lau Group.

The centre of Cyclone Harold was located about 70 kilometres north-northwest of Ono-I-Lau or about 130 kilometres south of Kabara at 9 last night.

The cyclone is currently moving east-southeast at about 44 kilometres per hour, and is quickly moving across Fijian waters.

On this track, the cyclone centre is expected to be located about 190 kilometres east-southeast of Ono-i-Lau or 310 kilometres southeast of Kabara at 3 this morning and about 330 kilometres east-southeast of Ono-i-Lau at 6am this morning.

Close to its centre, the cyclone is estimated to have average winds of upto 205 kilometres per hour with momentary gusts to 285 kilometres per hour.

[Tropical Cyclone Warning Number 26 issued FORECAST TRACK MAP Time: 1:12am - 09/04/2020]

Destructive and damaging winds are likely to begin a few or several hours before the cyclone centre passes nearby.

For Vatoa and Ono-i-Lau: expect very destructive hurricane-force winds with speeds up to 170 kilometres per hour and momentary gusts to 240 kilometres per hour.

Damaging heavy swells with sea flooding of low lying coastal areas is expected during high tides, with storm surge heights of up to 2 metres expected along the coasts when the centre passes nearby.

For the central and southern Lau Group destructive storm force winds with speeds up to 110 kilometres per hour and momentary gusts to 155 kilometres per hour.

A storm warning remain in force for the central and southern Lau Group.

A strong wind warning remains in force for the rest of Fiji.

A heavy rain warning remains in force for the Fiji Group. A flash flood warning remains in force for low lying areas and small streams within the Rakiraki Catchment and is now in force for the rest of the low lying areas and small streams within catchments in Fiji.

A flood warning is also in place for low lying areas and areas adjacent to and downstream of the Navua, Ba, Wainibuka, Rewa, Wainimala, Waimanu, Sigatoka and Tuva River.

Meanwhile earlier yesterday afternoon, TC Harold affected Kadavu badly.

There has been widespread damage in Dravuni in Kadavu.