Several archipelagos of French Polynesia are on cyclone pre-alert and the Windward Islands, including Tahiti, have been placed on red "heavy rain" alert as tropical depression "Nat" approaches, the authorities of this community announced on Wednesday. of the Pacific.
“Heavy rain is expected, it may be sustained.
The amounts of precipitation could locally reach or exceed 200 liters per square meter,” indicated the High Commission of the Republic in French Polynesia.
Gusts of 90 to 110 km/h are expected and lows of four to five meters are feared at sea, the press release specifies.
Three quarters of the French Polynesian population live in the Windward Islands (Tahiti and Moorea).
Earlier, the authorities had placed the archipelagos of the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands on cyclone pre-alert, the High Commissioner's chief of staff, Emilia Havez, indicated during a press briefing.
“Nat” should reach the Leeward Islands during the day on Wednesday (the night of Wednesday to Thursday in Paris time) then be “as close as possible to Tahiti, the Windward Islands” the next day, according to the director of Météo France Polynésie, Philippe Frayssinet.
These two archipelagos, already heavily affected by heavy rains in recent days, bring together the vast majority of the Polynesian population.
The crisis center activated
“There are always uncertainties in terms of trajectory predictions.
It can be significantly further south or significantly further north, which completely changes the impact from a wind point of view on the islands concerned,” added Philippe Frayssinet.
The operational crisis center was “fully activated until the pre-alert levels were lifted,” said Emilia Havez.
Schools in the two archipelagos will be closed on Wednesday.
“All public services must be able to be mobilized in the necessary situations,” she said.
The authorities called on the population to prepare by stocking up on water and food and equipping themselves with a first aid kit.
The last passage of a cyclone in Polynesia dates back to 2010. Causing the death of a man, Oli mainly affected the Austral archipelago.