30 Aug 2011

Rarotonga recovers from high seas not seen in 15 years

7:09 pm on 30 August 2011

Some coastal areas and businesses on the Cook Islands main island, Rarotonga, have been inundated by rough seas in the past week.

Businesses from Vaimaanga to Muri on the resort island's south coast experienced saturation and some damage from the irregularly high seas, which battered the area from late on Friday and through the weekend.

The managing director of the Rarotongan Beach Resort and Spa, Tata Crocombe, says he hasn't seen such seas in 15 years.

He says the resort suffered minor damage.

The beachfront restaurant at Pacific Resort also suffered some minor damage.

The large waves were due to a combination of regular tidal movements and a large low pressure system extending from Australia.