2010.03. - Fiji, Teil 5

Ein Zyklon der Stärke 4 bewegt sich exakt in Richtung Savusavu, wo unser Schiff an einer Boje befestigt ist. "Tomas", wie dieser Sturm benannt wird, ist nach dem Hurrikan Ivan (anderer Link) in Grenada der zweite grosse Zyklon, welcher unser Schiff direkt trifft. Wir hoffen natürlich, dass "NatHape" auch dieses Unwetter schadlos übersteht. Aber noch mehr Sorgen machen uns unsere Freunde in Fiji, welche dem Unwetter mehr oder weniger ungeschützt ausgeliefert sind.

Die Boje, an welcher "NatHape" befestigt ist, ist eine Helix-Mooring der Waitui Marina, welche "hurrikan-sicher" sein sollte. Das Helix-System stellt man sich am besten als eine 3.5m lange Schraube vor, welche in den Boden geschraubt wurde. Daran wurde dann die Mooringleine befestigt, welche das Schiff hält. Wir haben zur Sicherheit ein zweites Seil an dieser Vorrichtung befestigt, um alles getan zu haben, um Schäden eines solchen Unwetters abzuwenden ...

Aufgrund der Wetterlage buchten wir unseren Flug zurück zu den Fiji-Inseln von diesem Wochenende (13./14. März) auf das nächste um. Dies war auch gut so, denn alle Flüge nach Nadi sind mittlerweilen storniert und wir würden jetzt irgendwo auf einem Flugplatz "rumhängen" ...

Aktuellen Neuigkeiten betreffend "Tomas" findet man in diesen Links:

TROPICAL CYCLONE THREAT TRACK MAP
Fiji Times Online
Aktuelle Zugbahn Cyclon "Tomas"

Zerschundene Palmen ...

Defekte Häuser ...

Zerrissenes Mooringsail ...

Unser Schiff war an zwei Mooringseilen befestigt. Ein Seil war zerrissen. Ich glaube nicht, dass dies durch die Winde des Zyklons passiert ist. Es scheint mir logischer, dass sich durch das Drehen des Schiffes die beiden Mooringseile ineinander verwickelt haben und dann wurde das kleinere durch den Zug aufgescheuert. Zwei Seile an einer Mooring sind vielleicht keine gute Idee ...

Wetterlage ..

11:50h am on Monday the 15th of March 2010

EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU, CIKOBIA, TAVEUNI, RABI, KIOA, YACATA, KORO, VANUA BALAVU, GAU, CICIA, BATIKI, NAIRAI, WAKAYA, LAKEBA, KABARA, MOALA, MAKOGAI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:

WINDS INCREASING TO VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 170 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 230 KM/HR. FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. PHENOMINAL SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.

Update: 11:58AM Special Weather Bulletin Number 17 for Fiji ON TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS FROM RSMC

Update Sonntag 16:30h, die kalkulierte Zugbahn des Zyklons verschiebt sich nach Osten.

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU, CIKOBIA, TAVEUNI, RABI, KIOA, YACATA, KORO, VANUA BALAVU, GAU, CICIA, BATIKI, NAIRAI, WAKAYA, LAKEBA,KABARA, MOALA, MAKOGAI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

A STORM WARNING REMAINS FORCE FOR THE REST OF VANUA LEVU, OVALAU, MATUKU,TOTOYA, AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF THE FIJI GROUP.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS CENTRE 930HPA CATEGORY 4 WAS LOCATED NEAR 15 DECIMAL 3 SOUTH 179 DECIMAL 4 WEST OR ABOUT 185 KM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF TAVEUNI OR 390 KM NORTHEAST OF SUVA AT 10AM TODAY.

CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS OF 175 KM/HR INCREASING TO 205 KM/HR IN THE NEXT 18 TO 24 HOURS WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 270 KM/HR . THE CYCLONE IS INTENSIFYING AND MOVING SOUTH AT 09 KM/HR.

ON THIS TRACK, THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED ABOUT 65 KM NORTHEAST OF TAVEUNI OR 290KM NORTHEAST OF SUVA AT 10PM TONIGHT AND ABOUT 100KM SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF TAVEUNI OR 215KM EAST-NORTHEAST OF SUVA AT 10AM TOMORROW MORNING.

EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU, CIKOBIA, TAVEUNI, RABI, KIOA, YACATA, KORO, VANUA BALAVU, GAU, CICIA, BATIKI, NAIRAI, WAKAYA, LAKEBA, KABARA, MOALA, MAKOGAI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:

WINDS INCREASING TO VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 170 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 230 KM/HR.
FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. PHENOMINAL SEAS.
DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.
FOR THE REST OF VANUA LEVU, OVALAU, MATUKU,TOTOYA, AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:

WINDS INCREASING TO DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 90KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS 130 KM/HR.
FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. VERY HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.
FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.

WINDS INCREASING TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS UP TO 75 KM/HR AND MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 110 KM/HR.
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS.
VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.
FLOODING INCLUDING SEA FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS EXPECTED.
The following information is provided especially for the mariners:

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WITHIN 40 NAUTICAL MILES OF CENTRE WITH PHENOMINAL SEAS.
STORM FORCE WINDS WITHIN 60 NAUTICAL MILES OF CENTRE WITH VERY HIGH SEAS. GALE FORCE WINDS WITHIN 150 NAUTICAL MILES OF CENTRE WITH HIGH SEAS.
STRONG WINDS OUTSIDE 150 MILES OF CENTER. VERY ROUGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.
THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR FIJI ON TC TOMAS WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 3PM TODAY OR EARLIER.

Sunday 14.3.2010, 11:40PM SAVUSAVU is without power this morning as strong winds lash the small northern town.

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING

A HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR CIKOBIA ISLAND.

A STORM WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU, AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

A GALE WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI, AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS.

A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF FIJI.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS CENTRE 970HPA CATEGORY 3 WAS RE-LOCATED NEAR 13 DECIMAL 9 SOUTH 179 DECIMAL 5 WEST OR ABOUT 310KM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF LABASA AT 9PM TONIGHT. CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS OF 140 KM/HR INCREASING TO 165 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 230 KM/HR IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24

HOURS. THE CYCLONE IS INTENSIFYING AND MOVING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST AT 10 KM/HR.

ON THIS TRACK, THE CYCLONE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED ABOUT 210 KM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF LABASA AT 9AM TOMORROW MORNING AND ABOUT 120 KM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF LABASA 9PM TOMORROW NIGHT.

DESTRUCTIVE WINDS WILL BEGIN A FEW HOURS BEFORE THE CYCLONE CENTRE MOVES OVERHEAD OR NEARBY.

FOR CIKOBIA; WINDS INCREASING TO VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 165 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 230 KM/HR TOMORROW.

FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. PHENOMINAL SEAS.

DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.

FOR EASTERN HALF OF VANUA LEVU AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:

WINDS INCREASING TO DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 90KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS 130 KM/HR. FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. PHENOMINAL SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.

FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.

FOR THE REST OF VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS:

WINDS INCREASING TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 75 KM/HR AND MOMENTARY GUSTS OF 110 KM/HR. FREQUENT HEAVY RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. PHENOMINAL SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS.

FLOODING INCLUDING FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS.

FOR THE REST OF FIJI : EASTERLY WINDS INCREASING TO 45 TO 60 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 45KM/HR FROM TOMORROW. WINDS MAY INCREASE TO DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS UP TO 75 KM/HR AND MOMENTARY GUSTS TO 110 KM/HR IN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

PERIODS OF RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS.

ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING SEA FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS EXPECTED.

The following information is provided especially for the mariners:

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WITH PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 30 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. STORM FORCE WINDS AND VERY HIGH SEAS WITHIN 60 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. GALE FORCE WINDS AND HIGH SEAS OUT TO ABOUT 150 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CENTRE. STRONG WINDS AND VERY ROUGH SEAS GREATER THAN 150 NAUTICAL MILES AWAY FROM THE CENTRE.