Loyalty Islands

The satelite sequence is from the NOAA Web site. www.ssd.noaa.gov and the information gathered from various sources including herald sun and abc australia Cyclone Vania a category 2 cyclone at this moment has caused minor damage in the south islands of Vanuatu.. Its wind speeds are now up to 95 km per hour and appears to be intensifying..All people in the vicinity of South Vanuatu are being urged to stay inside their homes and avoid the ocean, as tropical Cyclone Vania whips up gale force winds in the South Pacific area. The cyclone has battered crops, cut lines of communication in some areas and caused minor damage to homes, according to the Disaster Management Office. It was sitting about 50km northwest of Tanna, in the south of the island group, this morning, the office said. Wind speeds peaked at 95km/h and people in the Tafea Province, in Vanuatu's south, were advised by the authorities to stay indoors today, avoid the ocean and listen for updates, Radio New Zealand International reported. Cyclone Vania was expected to move close to the Loyalty Islands - a province in New Caledonia - this afternoon. All businesses and schools in the region had been ordered to stay closed, and people were urged to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas that may be affected by storm surge The ABC reports that it has been generating gale force winds of up to 35 knots an hour in Vanuatu. Fiji's Meterological Service says the category 2 cyclone is moving slowly in a south-westerly direction <b>...</b>