Tropical cyclone bearing down on Tonga islands in South Pacific
( 2001-12-31 16:44 ) (7 )

Tropical cyclone Waka moved toward Tonga's low-lying outer islands, prompting radio stations to issue warnings of five-meter (16-foot) seas and ``destructive winds'' up to 190 kilometers (76 miles) an hour.

Cyclone Waka formed Sunday between Samoa and Fiji, close to the French islands of Wallis and Futuna in the South Pacific ocean, Fiji weather forecasters said.

By midday Monday local time (2300 GMT Sunday) it was closing on the northern island of Nuiafo'ou and headed toward the Vava'u Islands group, the location of Tonga's popular tourist resorts.

The latest warning from the Fiji-based Nadi Tropical Cyclone Center said the northern Tongan islands can expect damaging gales during the next 36 hours as Cyclone Waka moves slowly at 15 kilometers (9 miles) an hour on a southeast track through the area.

``We expect it to increase in intensity in the next 24 hours,'' said Nadi center director Rajendra Prasad.

``These will be hurricane-force winds with the potential to cause severe damage,'' he added.

The Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa on the low lying island of Tongatapu in the south, has been warned to expect stormforce winds, heavy rain and ``flooding, including sea flooding.''

Police spokesman, Corporal Kotoli Siali, said police were being briefed in preparation for the storm, and the state radio system would broadcast reports round the clock ``if necessary'' to update people living on the scattered islands of the group.

Many of the islands are low-lying coral atolls.