5 Feb 2014

Cyclone Edna off western coast of New Caledonia

4:28 pm on 5 February 2014

A tropical cyclone warning is in force in the north of New Caledonia as a storm is heading south east.

Cyclone Edna, with sustained winds of more than 90 kilometres and hour, is expected to weaken late tonight.

It is moving on a trajectory off the west coast of the main island.

The cyclone follows a depression, which according to police have left two people dead and two missing.

They say in Bourail, a six year old boy died when four cars were carried away by a swollen river.

The adults managed to get out of the vehicles but the boy was carried away.

In Kone, a man drowned trying to cross a river.

Police also say in Mont-Dore, near Noumea, two young people were carried away while trying to cross a river.

Search efforts have been unsuccessful.