Cyclone Zena

According to the Tonga Meteorological Service director, Ofa Fa'anunu, said at 10am this morning the cyclone still had a Category 2 structure.

He said the main island of Tongatapu was affected and 60 millimetres of rain was recorded in the capital Nuku'alofa around mid-morning.

By 10 AM threatening dark clouds, the thundering kind accompanied by torrential rain, had converged quickly.

Downtown Nuku’alofa cleared out quickly like it was preparing for an enemy aerial invasion. Certainly, there will be no school-boy brawling today. In fact, most schools were in mid-term recess for a week or two except for Queen Sālote College and Tupou High School.

The forecasted strong gusting winds from the northwest struck at 10:30 AM. The heavy rain brought out youngsters fearless of the pending dangers for a rain-shower game. 

Zena comes after several days of intense rain in the west of Fiji that has already left several thousand in shelters and claimed at least one life.

Yesterday, it was upgraded from a category 1 to a category 3 storm, with winds gusting up to 170km/h at its centre.

Police say the cyclone is heading towards the main island of Tongatapu, and the island of Eua, and moving faster than expected.

RNZI reports the parents of students at Tupou High school and Queen Salote College, in the capital Nukualofa, have been told to collect their children.

The storm has intensified over the morning from a category 1 storm to a category 3 storm, with winds of 120km/h close to its centre, gusting to 130km/h.

The west of Fiji has been deluged with rain since Sunday and now strong winds are forecast.

RNZ lnternational's Sally Round is in the Fijian city of Lautoka.

As of 6am Cyclone Zena was located approximately 740km west of Nadi.

Fiji Metservice said the category 2 cyclone was a fast-moving system and was intensifying and gale force winds were expected to reach Fiji by this afternoon or evening.