Posted at 22:52 on 11 March, 2013 UTC

Cyclone Sandra is expected to cause gale force winds over much of New Caledonia today as it continues its southwards journey parallel with the main island.

Read the full article on Radio New Zealand International

Updated 11 March 2013, 11:25 AEST

Gale force winds and flooding rains are forecast for much of Solomon Islands as Cyclone Sandra hovers about 300 kilometres off Rennel Island.

Listen: Winds downgraded as Cyclone Sandra moves away from Solomons (Credit: ABC)

The cyclone warning has now been extended to the northern islands of New Caledonia.

Much has been said about the increasing intensity of dengue epidemics in the Pacific region.

Listen: Study links climate and dengue outbreaks in New Caledonia (Credit: ABC)

Some have suggested it might just be down to better diagnosis and tracking.

But, what of the role of climate change?

Les îles Loyauté seront placées en alerte orange à partir de 22H00 locales mardi (13H00 à Paris), en raison du cyclone Jasmine, a annoncé le haut commissaire de la République en Nouvelle-Calédonie.

La dépression tropicale forte Jasmine s’est transformée en fin d’après-midi en cyclone, a indiqué Météo France. Il se situait alors à environ 160 kilomètres au nord-est des îles Belep, dans l’extrême nord de la Nouvelle-Calédonie.

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (Oceania Flash, Mar. 24) - Health authorities in New Caledonia have renewed warnings of an increased risk of dengue fever and leptospirosis, just over a week after cyclone Erica caused extensive damaged to the French Pacific territory, the daily newspaper Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes reports.

On March 14, cyclone Erica caused millions of dollars in damages to infrastructure, killed two, and injured nearly a hundred.

SUVA, Fiji (Oceania Flash, Mar. 17) - Tropical cyclone Erica, which on Friday devastated the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, may have left up to 3,500 homeless, officials said over the weekend.

Erica swept through New Caledonia's main island Western coast on Friday packing winds up to 300 kilometers per hour.

Two people were killed, dozens injured and early reports from damage assessment missions sent at the week end

The dead man worked for a building firm and fell while trying to secure sheet metal ahead of the arrival of Cyclone Erica, they said.

Erica, packing winds of up to 150 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, has disrupted communications and transport links, uprooted trees and carried away roofs of houses and public buildings.

The sudden arrival of the cyclone caught

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (RNZI, January 31) - Parts of New Caledonia were on alert as Cyclone Beni moved in a southeast direction at about 15 kilometers an hour. But weather experts said the storm was weakening and may move away from the islands.

Wind speeds were estimated at about 100 kilometers an hour and initial fears of damage lessened.

A warning was also in place for Vanuatu,

The government aid agency, NZAID has so far provided more than $150,000 for the Fiji and Solomon Islands relief effort following Cyclone Ami and Cyclone Zoe, Foreign Minister Phil Goff and Aid Minister Marian Hobbs said today.

New Zealand relief supplies in Fiji have helped meet the needs of more than 300 families on the cyclone-damaged island of Cicia in Fiji's Lau group. Assistance included 135 tarpaulins and 235 water containers plus the cost of transporting them.

"From a damage assessment of Cicia