Results for Vava'u

The very large Tropical Cyclone Winston (Cat. 4) currently has hurricane force winds across its 150kms diameter and the intensifying storm might become a high Cat. 4 – or even Cat. 5, sometime before midday Friday, north of Vava’u, warns Tonga Met. NEMO was meeting this afternoon and may possibly declare a state of emergency for Tonga later today, based on emerging models of the intensifying and dangerous storm.

As Tongans welcome drought-breaking rains today, bringing relief from a February heatwave, Tonga Met warns that Tonga can expect gales tonight as Tropical Cyclone Winston cat. 2 approaches Tonga from the southwest. The first Tropical Cyclone Warning for TC Winston was issued at 4:30pm this afternoon and a second at 7:30pm for the cyclone that is forecast to hang around in Tongan waters for most of the week.

Vava‘u will now be easier to reach for international visitors with new weekly flights to the northern Tongan archipelago direct from Nadi, Fiji starting on 2 April 2016.

The Tonga government last night cancelled a State of Emergency that was declared for Vava’u and Ha’apai on 31 December as Tropical Cyclone Ula entered Tongan waters. A government team after assessing the situation in Vava'u and Ha'apai yesterday, had found little damage to public infrastructure.

Initial reports have confirmed no casualties in Vava'u which has escaped major damage to infrastructure, apart from fallen trees due to Tropical Cyclone Ula. A state of emergency issued only for Vava’u and Ha’apai remains in force to be reviewed. While Tonga's climate experts say that a lack of moisture to drive the system prevented it from intensifying into a devastating Category 4 or 5 storm.

A tropical cyclone alert is now in force for Niuatoputapu and Vava'u, as Tropical Cyclone Ula (Category 1) is currently moving south-southwest across the north of Tonga and expected to bring strong and gusty winds to the groups over the next two days. The Fua'amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre issued the first alert for Tonga at 3:00pm today, Thursday 31 December 2015 and will continue to update their advisories this evening.

The trial to hear an election petition filed against Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu for corruption during his 2014 election campaign continued this week with witnesses called by the Petitioner Viliami Uasike Latu, at the Supreme Court in Neiafu.

A 20-year-old man from Leimatu’a has been charged with reckless driving causing death in a road crash in Neiafu on Thursday, 19 August.

Heilala Vanilla this month celebrates its 10th year in business since its first vanilla harvest in Vava‘u in 2005.