New Zealand is being battered by cyclone Gita after the tropical storm devastated the Pacific island nations of Fiji and Tonga last week.. This week Tropical Cyclone Gita has swept across islands of the Pacific causing substantial damage to homes, livelihoods, places of refuge, and places of prayer. Landslides can be seen in the hills. Here in Tawa, apart from steady rain from yesterday midnight until about 3pm – when it eased off to light showers that ceased sometime early … A meeting was held at 1.30pm today with all relevant EOC staff, emergency services and support agencies. As Cyclone Gita bears down on NZ, Civil Defence warns Kiwis to prepare. That prediction was based on identifying "analogue" years to 2020 which had similar conditions - one of which was the 2017-18 season, which produced Cyclones Gita and Fehi. Tropical Cyclone Gita is edging closer to New Zealand bringing potential power cuts, road closures, flooding and wind damage next week. Cyclone Gita hit Tonga on February 12 as a category four with winds of up to 278 km/h. The Ōtāhuhu-Mangere Youth Group and Ōtāhuhu Rotaract group are receiving donations of clothing and non-perishable food over the next three days. World News | Reuters | Wednesday February 21, 2018 . Hokitika Airport is closed for tonight, please check the Air New Zealand website for flight details tomorrow morning. Pacific weather forecasters say that Cyclone Gita, which strengthened to a category five system earlier today, is likely to weaken slightly over the next 24 hours. Find out the latest on our live blog, Fiji. On Saturday, Tropical Cyclone Gita is scheduled to pass south of New Caledonia before travelling south into the Tasman Sea. Fua'amotu International Airport on Tongatapu Photo: My Tongan - Online community. New Zealand Weather News We’re responding through our local partner to help with the relief and recovery effort. Gita is moving away from Fiji's southern islands in a west-south-west direction but is expected to tend southwesterly later. As the region cleans up after Cyclone Gita, New Zealand's Climate Minister says scientists may need to create a sixth category for cyclones as climate change creates more extreme weather events. For many years, Caritas has By Reuters, Reuters Wellington. To donate to New Zealand NGOs now: Habitat for Humanity's Cyclone Gita Emergency Appeal will support shelter and rebuilding. Together with support from the New Zealand Government, Oxfam and TNYC are growing seedlings and distributing seeds to 800 farmers to help recover their livelihoods. A house in Ruby Bay. Cyclone Gita, currently located over the Tasman Sea, is forecast to track southeastwards and cross central New Zealand late Tuesday and early Wednesday. What we're doing to help. WeatherWatch has advised people to postpone any non essential … The record-breaking storm ripped roofs off homes, caused widespread flooding, and water & electricity shortages. NZ Herald. A STATE of emergency has been declared across large parts of New Zealand as locals are left stranded, tourists trapped and the military called in as ex-Cyclone Gita wreaks havoc across the country. The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is urging people to plan ahead and consider delaying road travel in areas likely be most impacted by Cyclone Gita. The storm system is the remnants of Cyclone Gita, which last week ripped through the Pacific nation of Tonga, destroying homes, churches and the historic Parliament House. More than 18 notifications regarding the cyclone Gita, 10 of which for New Zealand, were sent out to SAFEY users. Cyclone Gita hit the Pacific island nations of Fiji and Tonga last week, packing … Ex-cyclone Gita was shown on Aljazeera NZ midnight news weather report with a short video clip of a flooded stream flowing over a road down South & brief commentary on wind damage & rainfall – mentioned a record 24-hour rainfall for Kaikoura. 17 Feb, 2018 12:35 AM Quick Read. Wellington: New Zealand’s national carrier on Tuesday cancelled all flights in and out of the capital, Wellington, and the southern city of Christchurch declared a state of emergency as the remnants of tropical cyclone Gita pummelled the country. Water tankers were deployed in New Plymouth after ex-Cyclone Gita damaged a crucial water pipe. Community groups and humanitarian organisations in New Zealand are calling for donations to help Pacific countries hit by Cyclone Gita. Some, like Cyclone Gita a couple years ago, can retain the look and power of a cyclone during this process. Cyclone Gita is expected to crash into New Zealand on Tuesday evening and is on track to make landfall on the northwest of the South Island. Press release 13 February: New Zealand to assist following Cyclone Gita (external link) A C130 Hercules is transporting family hygiene kits, shelter kits, jerry cans, and tarpaulins from New Zealand. Photo: SUPPLIED/ New Plymouth District Council. All airports in Tonga are currently closed due to damage and disruption following Tropical Cyclone Gita. New Zealand has begun cleaning up after being hit by the remnants of Cyclone Gita, which damaged buildings and left thousands without power. There is a lower risk of severe gales for the rest of the North island, excluding the East Cape. Former Cyclone Gita Traverses New Zealand, Batters South Island. Others, fall apart. Even before the storm hit in full force, heavy rains in the centre of New Zealand brought floods in Christchurch, prompting a warning from Mayor Lianne Dalziel. This is certainly the case in Tonga where Gita made landfall in February 2018 as a category 4 tropical storm. The storm is now approaching the southern islands of Fiji. Updated: Feb 20, 2018, 10:23 IST. Every single tropical cyclone loses its warm core just as it approaches NZ. Working with communities, we’re also identifying and assisting the most vulnerable families – such as single women … Latest … No deaths were attributed to the cyclone, however assessments indicated that over 2,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. Here's what you need to know. Tropical Cyclone Gita: Disability inclusive situational analysis 1 Tropical Cyclone Gita: Disability inclusive situational analysis, Tonga 2018. NZ groups send emergency supplies, will help constuct homes. Communications cut to Ono-I-Lau and Vatoa islands, restored Thursday at earliest ; No doctors on Vatoa and Ono-I-Lau; Those islands thought to have been hit by 275km/h winds and storm surges, other Southern Lau group and rest of … Water sources were contaminated or cut and although Tongans are well used to cyclones, the damage wreaked by the category 4 cyclone had lasting psychological impacts as well as economic. And these are the costs," Holdom said. Severe gales with damaging gusts are expected, so people are … Our partner in Tonga is … The western edge of Tasman Bay and parts of Golden Bay are in the path of Cyclone Gita as it sweeps central New Zealand. A view of the damage to the Otūwhero Inlet, near Mārahau, after ex-Tropical Cyclone Gita barrelled through the Nelson-Tasman region in February 2018. Risk areas are yet to be identified- they will be earmarked closer to Gita’s arrival – but MetService says the tropical cyclone is likely to bring with it “highly impactful severe weather”. The owner of Real Tonga Airways said there was no power at Fua'amotu International Airport on Tongatapu, where the airport buildings have sustained some damage and there is significant flooding. Besides strong winds, heavy rainfalls and coastal flooding, we sent alerts with information that contained evacuation efforts of city-dweller, rescue teams operations, and the flight and on-ground disruptions … Additionally, the SAFEY team also made sure all pertinent information was relayed timely. Winds raged between 110 and 275 kmph causing waves over 11 metres tall. NZ Herald – Cyclone Gita: MetService warns ‘it’s best to prepare ’ MetService is urging people to prepare for Cyclone Gita as it makes its way to New Zealand. The plane will also carry a New Zealand government team to support the New Zealand High Commission in Nuku'alofa assess emergency needs and respond to requests from the Government of … Cyclone Gita likely to weaken. Tevita Palu … Heavy rain will cause slips, rapidly rising streams and rivers, and flooding. "Nobody likes getting a big bill from the plumber, but most … Cyclone Gita could cause 12m waves in NZ. "This is really a way of saying we are going to own this problem and solve it. The passage of Gita is expected to bring a period of high-impact severe weather to central New Zealand. Tropical cyclone Gita has moved away from Fiji but it has lashed the Southern Lau islands. Prepositioning of equipment and staff across the Westland district is … The head of Tonga's National Emergency Management Office, Leveni Aho, said debris blocking roads was hampering a full assessment of the impact of Cyclone Gita there. MetService issued a storm warning for the area, with swells of up to six metres in Tasman Bay and winds up to 90km/h … Photo: RNZ / Logan Church. 2 This report on the findings and recommendations from an assessment of the needs of people with disabilities on Tongatapu following Tropical Cyclone Gita in February 2018, has been prepared by Katabwena Tawaka and Simione Bula of the Pacific Disability … Cyclone Gita, which caused havoc in Tonga last week and was upgraded to category five as it eyed uyp New Zealand, leaving the island in the storm's "firing line". Such was the case when Cyclone Gita struck in February this year. Forecasters are warning of severe winds, torrential rain and sea surges in low-lying coastal areas. Cyclone Gita devastated many vital food sources and markets in Tonga – coconuts, bananas, fruit trees and root crops. 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