14 Feb 2012

Cyclone Jasmine expected to keep impacting Tonga overnight

8:29 pm on 14 February 2012

The Fiji Met Service says Cyclone Jasmine will continue to affect Tonga overnight.

Jasmine has been causing flooding around Tonga's main island of Tongatapu, the second cyclone to affect the kingdom in a week.

Jasmine, which had been a category three storm when it passed through Vanuatu waters late last week, is now a category one.

The Met Service's Amit Singh says Jasmine has just passed to the West of the capital and is veering northwest.

He says conducive conditions in the region have helped Jasmine last for over a week and to even gain a second wind:

"If you look at the past 24 hours, it has intensified. We had 35 knots close to the cente but now it's around 45 knots. It's expected to (affect Tonga) for the rest of today and tonight and into tomorrow. By tomorrow afternoon we expect some easing in Tonga."

Amit Singh