category 4

Severe Tropical Cyclone Lola strengthens to category 4

The cyclone is expected to hit Vanuatu's second largest city, Luganville, at midday.

Evacuation centres have been set in Lugainville as authorities tell communities to stock up on food and water and prepare to evacuate their homes in case of flooding.

Philip Meto, principal provincial Liason Officer with Vanuatu Disaster Management Office, said on Monday people were aware of the cyclone risks and evacuation centres had been set up.

He said in previous cyclones, in flood-prone areas "more than 100 people are usually evacuated."

Tropical Cyclone Harold has rapidly intensified to a category 4 cyclone

The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department said Tropical Cyclone Harold is moving in a south-easterly direction at 8km/h.

The system is gathering more strength as it moves slowly towards northern Vanuatu.

The Fiji Meteorological latest forecast tracking map indicates Tropical Cyclone Harold will be a powerful category 5 when it crosses over Vanuatu.

A category five cyclone can have sustained winds of 252km/h.

The Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office said the provinces of Torba, Sanma, Penama and Malampa are now on Red Alert.

Lane still a Category 4 hurricane as it creeps closer toward Hawaii isles

Even if it does not make landfall, the National Weather Service warned, the storm could bring “life-threatening impacts,” including hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and flash flooding. The storm’s outer rain bands had put much of the eastern part of the Big Island of Hawaii under a flash flood warning by Thursday morning, and one site in Hilo had already recorded more than 18 inches of rain.

Officials warned that the unpredictable track of the hurricane left much of the state potentially vulnerable.

Hawaii bracing for Hurricane Hector

The National Weather Service said Hector remained a category four storm as it moved closer to Hawaii's Big Island.

At 11.30am (Hawaii time) today, the storm was located 1359 kms east of Hilo and forecast to pass to the south of Hawaii, the service said.

Hector continued to move in a westerly direction with winds as high as 250 km at its centre, it said.

The US National Hurricane Centre urged people to prepare for tropical storm force winds across Hawaii County on Wednesday.

Cyclone Donna lashes Vanuatu for third day

RNZ reports the cyclone, which remained a category four, lingered for much of Saturday and Sunday about 300 km off the western coast of Torba province.

The Vanuatu Meteorological Service said the cyclone had sustained winds of 185km/h at its centre, gusting as high as 235km/h.

A forecaster, Jerry Timoteo, said the cyclone's size meant most of the country would feel its effects, particularly the worst-hit Torres islands, which had been battered for days.

Cyclone Donna intensifies; lingers in Vanuatu's north

On Saturday night, the cyclone, which had been tracking west towards open ocean, turned around and continued to linger about 200 kilometres off the northernmost Torba province, where reports of damage were starting to emerge.

In a warning on Saturday night, the Vanuatu Meteorological Service said the cyclone had strengthened over the afternoon, and was now packing sustained winds of 165km/h, gusting as high as 235km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Winston now a four

The cyclone is moving at 12 kilometres an hour and intensifying.

Expect sustained winds of 166 kilometres an hour close to the centre, increasing to 185 kilometres an hour later today.

In Fiji, a flood alert remains in force for all low lying areas along Rakiraki river, including Rakiraki town.

Cyclone Victor to be Category Four by Monday, as Cook Islanders hit by winds

The atoll has been on high alert as the cyclone, upgraded to category 3 on Sunday and centred several hundred kilometres away, moved slowly towards it.

Winds close to the centre are about 115 km/h. The Fiji Meteorological Service says the cyclone is intensifying and the wind strength will increase to 150 km/h.