© NIWAA map showing the projected path of Cyclone Gita
The island nation of Tonga has declared a state of emergency as it braces for the wrath of Tropical Cyclone Gita, which is bearing down on the island nation after causing widespread damage in neighbouring Samoa and American Samoa.
The Tongan government declared a state of emergency on Monday morning to allow its 100,000 inhabitants to prepare for the category four storm. Gita is expected to intensify into a category five storm in the coming hours, and is heading for Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia later in the week.
The cyclone was expected to hit Tonga at around 8pm local time. Evacuation centres had instructed people to be inside by 6pm.
Polikalepo Kefu, Tonga's Red Cross communications manager, said the majority of Tongans were "very fearful".
"We have not had a category five cyclone strike the main island before and everyone is wondering how strong is will be," he said.
"Tourists have mostly evacuated or they are staying in their hotels and being looked after by their heads of mission."
The Tongan National Emergency Management Committee said that at its peak Gita was expected to pack winds of up to 200kph, and people living in flood-prone or low-lying areas should evacuate.
Comment: Roads turned into rivers, mass blackouts and hundreds of islanders are evacuated as Cyclone Gita slams Samoa (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)