Fiji - Tropical cyclone MAL (GDACS, JTWC, Fiji Meteorological Service, media) (ECHO Daily Flash of 14 November 2023)

A new tropical cyclone named MAL formed over the South Pacific Ocean, near the Solomon Islands, on 10 November and started moving south-east over the Ocean toward the Fiji Islands. On 14 November at 6.00 UTC its centre was located offshore approximately 270 km north-west of Viti Levu Island, the main Island of Fiji, with maximum sustained winds of 111 km/h (tropical storm).

Media report, as of 14 November, a number of evacuation centres already preventively opened across the Viti Levu Island by national authorities.

MAL is expected to continue south-southeast over the Ocean, slightly strenghtening, and to pass close to the eastern coast of Viti Levu Island on late afternoon (UTC) of 14 November, with maximum sustained winds up to 120 km/h (tropical cyclone). After that, it is forceast to continue southeastward over the Ocean on 15-17 November, further weakening and dissipating.

Over the next 24 hours, heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surge are forecast over most of Viti Levu Island. The Fiji Meteorological Service has issued an orange warning for gales over the whole Island.