Saturday, January 2, 2016

Very destructive’ cyclone has hit the island nation of Tonga

State of emergency declared in Tonga after Cyclone Ula rips off roofs and destroys crops with furious winds of up to 200km/h
By Aneeta Bhole For Daily Mail Australia14:15 02 Jan 2016, updated 14:59 02 Jan 2016
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Cyclone Ula has ripped off roofs and destroyed plant crops in TongaIt unleashed its fury on the island nation with winds reaching 200km/hHundreds of people were evacuated but no casualties have been reported People have taken to social media to warn others of the cyclonic weather
Ripping off roofs of houses and destroying plant crops, what has been described as a ‘very destructive’ cyclone has hit the island nation of Tonga, just north of New Zealand.
Cyclone Ula has unleashed its fury on Tonga with flash floods, heavy rain and thunderstorms and gale-force winds reaching up to 200km/h.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in Tonga since the arrival of Cyclone Ula but no casualties have been reported as of yet.
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Ripping off roofs of houses and destroying plant crops, what has been described as a ‘very destructive’ cyclone has hit the island nation of Tonga, just north of New Zealand
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Cyclone Ula has unleashed its fury on Tonga with flash floods, heavy rain and thunderstorms and gale-force winds reaching up to 200km/h. Earlier reports show that the country was on 'high alert'
The latest warning from Fua'amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre said Vava'u, Tongatapu, Ha'apai and 'Eua are expected to feel the worst of the tropical cyclone.
Locals and tourists alike, have taken to social media warning others of the unrelenting cyclonic conditions hitting the region.
Sam Mikaelson Rapana said: ‘It’s been raining three days straight due to #CycloneUla.’
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Some locals posted pictures of the calm before the story showing Cyclone Ula brewing to become the torrential rains, gale force winds and thunderstorms now being seen in the region Locals and tourists alike, have taken to social media warning others of the unrelenting cyclonic conditions hitting the region
While other pray for the safety of those in harm’s way.
AkesaLea Uili said: ‘Praying for the safety of family and everyone back home in Vava’u and Tongatapu.’
One twitter user said: ‘WTF #CycloneUla it’s meant to be summer in NZ mate.’
And locals ask those concerned to wish them luck through the extreme weather conditions.
Some commented on the weather being unusual for the season, one twitter user said: ‘WTF #CycloneUla it’s meant to be summer in NZ mate’Another twitter user said it had been raining 3 days straight due to the cyclone
Heavy damaging sea swells and east to south-east winds of up to 120km/h are expected to hit Vava’u and Ha’apai, reported New Zealand Herald.
Low areas are warned of seas flooding and international aid organisations are setting up help for the region.
Carlos Calderon, Pacific humanitarian manager for Oxfam NZ told New Zealand Herald: ‘We have emergency supplies in Tonga ready in place.’
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Low areas are warned of seas flooding and international aid organisations are setting up help for the region Neil Ewins had been updating friends and family and asked them to 'wish them [us] luck'
‘Once the urgent needs are assessed we are ready to help co-ordinate the supply of clean water and sanitation for those affected by the disaster,’ he added.
National Emergency Management Office, Siaosi Sovaleni, told a press conference.
We had 11 evacuation centres, over 390 people were relocated to these evacuation centres.
In January 2014 Tonga was hit with Cyclone Ian that left one person dead and 4,000 homeless when winds averaging at 200km/h ripped through the islands.
Sanjay Prakash from the Fiji Meteorological Service told the ABC at the time, that the cyclone had not changed its course and was heading towards VaVa’u group in the northern part of Tonga. 
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Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in Tonga since the arrival of Cyclone Ula but no casualties have been reported as of yet

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