American Samoa - Twin cyclones bear down on South Pacific islands

Reuters | February 15, 2005 | Carrie LaFrenz

[HAL9000]

SYDNEY, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Two tropical cyclones are bearing down on three South Pacific island nations creating a "critically dangerous situation", weather officials said on Tuesday.

Cyclones Olaf and Nancy, which are expected to hit Samoa, American Samoa and the Cook islands, could cross paths creating one giant, destructive storm centre where the two cyclones spin around each other until one is flung off.

"For the South Pacific it is unusual to have two cyclones this close together," said Kevin Vang at the Australian-Pacific Centre for Emergency and Disaster Information.

"This has the making of an absolute mess," Vang told Reuters.

Cyclone Olaf, heading towards Samoa and American Samoa, could intensify to a top category 5 storm by the time it hits with destructive winds around 217 kilometres (135 miles) per hour, huge seas and possible flooding from heavy rain, said the centre on its Web site (www.afap.org/apcedi).

The Samoan Meteorological Division in Apia said Cyclone Olaf was expected to hit on Tuesday night and islanders were buying emergency supplies.

"They are buying food, lanterns and candles. They have tied down their shelters," said the division's Mulipola Titimaea.

The Samoan prime minister's office said a state of emergency been declared and all government offices and businesses had been shut.

Cyclone Nancy is forecast to become a category 4 storm and is expected to hit the Cook Islands on Tuesday night. The Cook Islands is still recovering from Cyclone Meena on Feb. 7.

"This is a critically dangerous situation for Samoa, American Samoa and the southern Cooks," the Australian centre said.

It said tropical cyclone warnings and watches had been issued for a total of seven island nations as the two storms track southeast across the South Pacific.

Vang said satellite images of Nancy showed the storm was beginning to affect outer atolls in the Cook Islands.

The Cook Islands Meteorological Office said Nancy was still about 480 km (300 miles) north of the southern atolls of Rarotonga and Aitutaki, but it hoped the storm would weaken over the next 24 hours.

"At this stage Rarotonga and Aitutaki are in its way," the centre's Tekii Lazaro told Reuters.

Australian authorities warned the Cook Islands, which lie to the southeast of Samoa, could be hit by both cyclones within 24 to 48 hours.

"There may be little time between storms to recover or do any repairs. Authorities should in fact be prepared for a quick double hit by both storms in 24-48 hour period," said the Australian emergency and disaster centre.

[HiJinx]

Ping!!

[The Electrician]

I think that I got this one on DVD... This is the one where it ends with New York City being frozen over, right?

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Prayers fot the good people of American Samoa.

Go away pesky cyclones...Like a long way out to sea where you can blow air kisses at each other until you both collapse in a deflated heap.

[Lorianne]

Please keep us updated if you can. Thanks