A State of Emergency has been declared for Tonga at 10:00am this morning in preparation for severe Tropical Cyclone Gita as threatens to hit southern Tonga witha potential Category 5 force from around 7:00pm tonight, Monday 12 February 2018.
The Acting Prime Minister Hon. Semisi Sika in a statement declaring the State of Emergency said this is due to the destructive force winds and expected sea level rise brought by this cyclone. The state of emergency is to help prevent or minimise loss of lives, injury, damage to property and the environment.
Hon Poasi Tei, MEIDECC Minister in a press conference this morning, attended by the National Emergency Management Committee members said they had recommended to the Acting PM for the State of Emergency to be declared for the country.
"We want to emphasize to the people the severity of this Tropical Cyclone and not take it lightly. The authorities are concerned about people's safety and it is important that they now prepare and make efforts to protect themselves and their properties," he said.
The Emergency Management Act states whenever there is a situation where there is potential for loss of lives and damage to properties, the government can declare the State of Emergency. This gives police and defence the emergency powers needed to evacuate people to safe places and assist those who request for help, he said.
"The one aim for declaring the state of emergency is to save people and help people when they are in trouble."
At the same time ‘Onetoto ‘Anisi, Acting CEO for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said they have called on district and town officers to ensure people who need to be taken to evacuation centers to move now because of the severity and danger of this Tropical Cyclone.
It is vital that they are moved to buildings that can withstand a Category 5, most suitably the LDS buildings. Ensure there is enough food, drinking water and there are first aid kits and record people who stay there and report to the committee as soon as possible, he said.
Director of Meteorology ‘Ofa Fa’anunu said a Category 5 tropical cyclone will bring winds that have reached 110 knots or around 220-230 km per hour.
“We are looking at major structural damage."
Truckloads of soldiers were moving around Nuku'alofa this morning helping with storm preparations.
NASA's satellite images from spcae show the massive size of the storm, with the first clouds starting to brush Tonga after noon today.
http://matangitonga.to/2018/02/12/tonga-declares-state-emergency
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