Cook Islands under coastal inundation watch - Emergency office says 'nothing major'
There could be higher-than-usual lagoon levels, wave run-up on beaches, and potential for debris to wash onto coastal areas.
Photo:
RNZ Pacific / Tiana Haxton
A coastal inundation watch is in place for the southern Cook Islands, but Emergency Management Cook Islands (EMCI) says ocean surges will not be serious.
The watch has been in place since about midday Monday local time (Tuesday NZT).
EMCI director John Strickland said he expects it to be dropped after the next high tide, which is about 6pm local time Tuesday (Wednesday NZT).
Strickland said he checked Rarotonga's southern coast at 6am today for damage.
"It's good to report that everything went well. It's only around the southwest side of the island, around the Rarotongan that had a little bit of sea surge, but nothing major," he said.
"It's just a watch for our people to be aware. It's not something that is going to be of serious nature."
A statement from EMCI, posted Monday local time, said conditions were potentially dangerous for lagoon recreational activities.
There could be higher-than-usual lagoon levels, wave run-up on beaches, and potential for debris to wash onto coastal areas.
It also said beachfront property owners should remain aware of conditions, keep a close watch on beach equipment, and be ready to take further action should conditions worsen.
King tides, combined with large swells in 2022, battered the south side of Rarotonga, but Strickland said the impact of the current swell would be "nothing like that".
He said the swell is about four meters at the reef that surrounds the island.
Fiji had a coastal inundation warning in force for Southern Viti Levu, Kadavu, and nearby smaller islands, which has now been cancelled.
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