The system had already caused a lot of damage in Solomon Islands and was now headed towards Vanuatu.
The latest tracking threat map indicated it will be a category 3 by the time it reaches Vanuatu.
Meanwhile 28 people were still missing from a Solomon Islands passenger boat which ignored maritime warnings and embarked on an island crossing in the middle of the cyclone.
The MV Taimareho left the capital Honiara on Thursday evening bound for West Are'are on Malaita.
