Results for Natural events

A strong wind warning with a heavy rain advisory is in force for Tonga as a Tropical Depression lies over the Fiji Group. The depression is forecasted to develop into a Category 1 Tropical Cyclone as it moves towards Tonga within the next 48-hours over the weekend.

A shallow M5.3 earthquake with an epicenter located 72km east of ‘Ohonua, ‘Eua was recorded at 4:04am this morning, February 6, according to the USGS.

No deaths, injuries, missing persons or missing vessels were reported in Tonga by this afternoon as Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian, now category 4, with its centre packing punches from 194-268km/hr gusts, weaved its way between the Vava‘u and Ha‘apai groups today, passing close to the exposed small outlying island communities of Mo‘unga‘one and Muitoa, whose fate remains unknown. However, the powerful cyclone that intensified to category 5 last night has surprised storm-watchers by letting Vava‘u off lightly without the expected destruction.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is closing in on Vava‘u tonight with huge gusts and heavy rain sweeping the group, and much worse to come, with “phenomenal seas” and very destructive 90-125 knots gusts predicted before dawn. At midnight, Vava‘u residents said the gusts were getting much stronger. In its 12:30am advisory for Saturday January 11, Fua‘amotu TCWC stated that the Category 4 cyclone was located about 125km northwest of Hunga (VV) and 125km northwest of Longomapu (VV) or about 210km north-northwest of Lifuka at 10:00pm and moving southeast at 5 knots.

A crowd of around 200 New Year's visitors remain onshore at Tonga’s remote Niuatoputapu Island today, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian is expected to track across the ferry route between Niuatoputapu and southern Tonga, intensifying into a Category 4 storm over the next two days.

Now upgraded to Category 2 storm in Tonga, Tropical Cyclone Ian is moving towards Tonga’s northernmost island, Niuafo‘ou. On its current track, TC Ian may bring damaging gale force winds to Niuafo‘ou in the next 12 to 24 hours, and is expected to turn and move to the southeast over Tonga during the next three days.

Tonga is expecting another King Tide this evening, with some sea flooding expected when the high tide occurs at 8:57 pm in Nuku‘alofa. The extreme high tides experienced this week are expected to continue through to Sunday.

A short strong tremor was felt in Nuku'alofa this morning but no damage has been reported. The USGS Earthquake Information Center recorded a deep M5.4 earthquake centred 38km north east of Nuku'alofa at a local time of 11:41am.

A strong 7.4Mw tremor rattled Nuku'alofa before dawn for over a minute starting at 6:19am. Two aftershocks, including 6.6Mw were felt in Nuku'alofa after 10:00am. The first 7.4Mw earthquake was centred south of Fiji and Tonga at a depth of about 170km-208km in an area of the Tonga-Kermadec arc that has frequent moderate to large deep earthquakes. The deep earthquakes are generally less hazardous than shallow earthquakes.