Cyclone Gita latest: State of emergency declared as storm tears into Tonga

'With a storm this big, we have to prepare for the worst,' says aid agency

The storm has strengthened since hitting Samoa last week, where it caused damage to buildings, flooding and power outages (AFP/Getty Images)

A powerful cyclone is tearing into the Pacific island nation of Tonga, sending people fleeing for higher ground after the storm wrought widespread destruction in nearby Samoa.

Residents nailed planks of wood over their windows in an effort to protect their homes against Cyclone Gita, which arrived on Monday evening after forecasters warned of sustained winds of 121 miles per hour.

Tonga has declared a state of emergency, with acting Prime Minister Semisi Sika saying he was “satisfied that an emergency is happening or is about to happen”.

The storm has strengthened since hitting Samoa and American Samoa last week, where it caused damage to buildings, widespread power outages and flooding.

The Metservice said it expected Cyclone Gita to peak at a Category 4 storm, but other regional meteorological agencies said the storm would reach Category 5, the most severe ranking.

Schools and workplaces in Tonga, which has a population of around 105,000, were closed ahead of the storm.

Donald Trump declared an emergency in American Samoa, a US territory. The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide equipment and resources to help the 50,000 residents recover.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her government was on standby and ready to help Tonga. ”We’re waiting to see the impact there and staying in very close contact,” she said.

Red Cross Pacific spokeswoman Hanna Butler said the cyclone was “incredibly strong” and that preparations ahead of the storm would save lives.

Meanwhile, aid agency Care Australia said it was also ready to assist. “With a storm this big, we have to prepare for the worst,” said emergency response manager Stefan Knollmayer.

Where is it going to hit?

Tongan authorities said families in flood-prone areas should move into evacuation centres, while those on higher ground should avoid roads and stay indoors.

Ben Noll, a Meteorologist at New Zealand’s National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), said it looked as though the centre of Cyclone Gita would travel just south of Tonga’s southernmost island of Eua. Although the cyclone woudl not officially make landfall, ”Tonga will remain in the extremely dangerous eye wall for a longer period,” he added.

NIWA said after hitting Tonga, the cyclone was expected to head west, travelling close to Fiji between Tuesday and Wednesday, south of Vanuatu between Thursday and Friday and south of the French territory New Caledonia on Friday.

Additional reporting by agencies