Cyclone Ula

Meteorological authorities in the territory have warned of three metre high swells for the islands of Mare and Isle des Pins.

Ula was downgraded to a category three storm yesterday afternoon after leaving minimal damage on Vanuatu's southern group.

Ula is now a Category Three cyclone and is easing as it moves in a south easterly direction from its position south of the Vanuatu group.

Ula reached Category Four level as it veered towards Vanuatu's south at the weekend raising fears for vulnerable islands in Tafea Province which are still recovering from the devastation of last year's Cyclone Pam.

The NDMO says seas will remain rough to very rough over southern waters with heavy swells expected.

The category four cyclone is about 200 kilometres south of Aneityum and 285 kilometres south southeast of Tanna.

Early this morning it was situated 160km south southeast of Aneityum and 250km south southeast of Tanna.

On its current path it could hit the same region devastated last March by Cyclone Pam which killed 11 people, left tens of thousands homeless and wiped out entire food crops.

In its latest warning, the country's meteorological service says Ula is currently about 145 kilometres northeast of the island of Aneityum, with winds of 165 kilometres an hour at its centre.

It is moving southwest at about 14 kilometres an hour.

In its latest warning, the country's meteorological service says the category four system is currently about 235 kilometres east of Tanna, and 185 kilometres east-northeast of Aneityum.

The cyclone is moving in a southwest direction at 11 kilometres an hour, with winds of 165 kilometres an hour at its centre.

The cyclone is moving in a west-southwest direction at 10 kilometres an hour, and is currently about 225 kilometres east-northeast of Aneityum, and 270 kilometres east of Tanna.

Ula has winds of 165 kilometres an hour close to its centre.

Tanna was one of the areas worst-hit by the category five cyclone Pam in March last year, and has been suffering from the impacts of drought caused by this year's El Niño system.

A forecaster at Vanuatu's meteorological service, Ellen Luke, says the system is currently about 500 kilometres east of Tafea province, and predicted to move to the south before it reaches the islands.

It says the system, which became a three overnight, is moving north-west at three kilometres per hour.

A storm warning is currently in force for ships within 500 kilometres of Ula, as it moves between Fiji and Vanuatu.

Cyclone Ula is expected to reach the southernmost islands of Vanuatu on Monday.

The cyclone, whose strength had peaked last weekend when it crossed northern Tonga and Fiji's Lau group, is changing direction again.

After being on a northwesterly trajectory, Cyclone Ula is forecast to turn towards the southwest.