20 May 2011

Fiji Met Office warns of more heavy swells

5:26 pm on 20 May 2011

The Fiji Meteorological Office is warning there could be more coastal damage from huge waves as swells combine with high tides on the south coast of Fiji.

There are reports of the sea flooding over coastal roads leaving debris.

Duty weather forecaster, Rajneel Prasad, says a high pressure system over the Tasman Sea is generating the heavy swells.

He says it's also the time of the month when tides are at a maximum height.

Mr Prasad says large waves reported to have caused some damage along the Coral Coast today are likely to return this evening and tomorrow morning.

"We have the next high tide at around 9pm tonight and another one at around 9am tomorrow morning. The heavy swells are still around so definitely we expect some similar situation around 9pm tonight and 9am tomorrow."

Mr Prasad says there is also a damaging heavy swell warning for the Coral Sea and Southern Lau Island group.

He says southern parts of Tonga, Niue and the southern Cook Islands may get moderate to heavy swells that could cause coastal damage during high tides.