Tahiti Hit By Cyclone
Cyclone Oli smashes French Polynesia
Hundreds of tourists were taken to emergency centres as severe Cyclone Oli hit French Polynesia this morning.
This morning Oli was 250 kilometres south west of Bora Bora and moving south east.
Around 650 tourists have been evacuated from Bora Bora.
Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee, who was on the Tetiaroa, north of Tahiti, was among a group of New Zealanders flown to the main island by the French Military ahead of the cyclone.
No one has been killed in the storm, but French High Commissioner said a person has been injured by flying roof material and a fisherman had to be rescued at sea.
Magali Charbonneau, a senior adviser to the region's top French official, told RFO radio that tourists and locals were being housed in churches and schools during the storm.
She said waves of up to eight metres high were expected.
Winds last night were expected to average 150 kilometres an hour, with gusts at 200 kilometres an hour, and were expected to pick up speed.
Source: www.pax.travel
Comments
I was on Tupua'i island when cyclone Wasa hit in 1991. Although Tupua'i has a wide lagoon, the land is quite low.
But the people of Tupua'i are used to very strong winds and rough seas.
I hope this cyclone won't damage their crops.
For those interested in local island life, Huri Translations
publishes the PUNA VE'A, a bimonthly article about cultural and
linguistic stories related to French Polynesia at
http://www.huri-translations.pf/english/crbst_10.html
This is very reminiscent of 1991 cyclone Wasa that severely hit Tupua'i island.
'Aito trees - iron trees - couldn't resist wind accelarations and wave crashing onto the shore.
However, Tupua'i people are more used to strong winds and rough seas than Tahitians.
For those interested in local island life, Huri Translations
publishes the PUNA VE'A, a bimonthly article about cultural and
linguistic stories related to French Polynesia at
http://www.huri-translations.pf/english/crbst_10.html
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