Worst of Cyclone Evan over with marina escaping unscathed

Tropical Cyclone Evan, which has wrought havoc on Fiji, mercifully left minimal damage to the marina caught in its wake, reports have just confirmed.
 
A spokesperson from Vuda marina, Fiji, which sustained the maximum force of the 480km wide category four cycline, said:
 
“We sustained reported winds of up to approx 140 knots-plus. We got a bit of storm surge, which was expected, but minimal damage. Even our new seawall / hard stand extension survived.”
 
The marina had just commenced the first phase of a superyacht focused extension when the cyclone hit on 17 December. Work had started on a 180m retaining wall, a ramp for catamaran haul-outs and repair and 100 metres of new floating docks to accommodate 20 superyachts, Fijian press reported last week.
 
“Everyone is still in a state of shock and quite fatigued,” spokesperson, Lisa Wade, continued.
 
“We think the eye passed close by, so we sustained maximum possible wind speeds. [But] no loss of boats, everyone is safe and no major damages to our infrastructure.”



The marina however, is currently without power or water.
 
Cyclone Evan has caused massive destruction on the island but there have been no reported deaths, despite the storm leaving four dead in Samoa, where it first pitched. Winds exceeded 200km/h (125 mph) in Fiji forcing people into evacuation centres and causing flash floods and power cuts.



The storm is expected to weaken as it travels south towards New Zealand.
 
"Evan's current track takes it more or less southwards and it is likely to pass within a few hundred kilometres of northern New Zealand during the weekend," said New Zealand Met Service Chief Forecaster, Peter Kreft in a report posted today at 11.01am.
 
Evan is 'very unlikely' to be a tropical cyclone by the time of its closest approach to the North Island, his report concluded.

Related Links

Vuda Marina Website
Fiji Met Office Website
New Zealand Met Office Website

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