Tropical Cyclone Wati strengthens to Category 2 as it bears down on Aitutaki

Tropical Cyclone Wati has strengthened to a Category 2 system and is tracking towards Aitutaki in the southern Cook Islands, with the island’s council activating its emergency operations centre as conditions are expected to deteriorate, Fiji One News and RNZ reported.

At 11am local time on Monday, the cyclone was centred near 15.2 degrees south and 162.9 degrees west, about 220 kilometres south of Suwarrow, generating sustained winds of around 100 kilometres per hour near its centre with gusts reaching 140 kilometres per hour. The system was moving south-southeast at approximately 14 kilometres per hour, according to Fiji One News.

The forecast track brings Wati’s centre to about 310 kilometres northwest of Aitutaki by 11pm tonight, then to approximately 20 kilometres northeast of the island by 11am tomorrow — its closest approach. Residents across the southern Cook Islands, along with mariners, have been urged to remain vigilant, monitor official bulletins and take precautions.

The Aitutaki Island Council activated its emergency operations centre as the cyclone approached, RNZ reported, with the Cook Islands Meteorological Service warning conditions would deteriorate over the coming days. The Fiji Meteorological Service said it would continue tracking Wati and issue further updates.