Tropical Cyclone Fehi Causes Flooding in New Caledonia

by in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, News

Tropical Cyclone Fehi swept past New Caledonia on 29 January, 2018, bringing with it strong winds and heavy rainfall.

New Caledonia was being affected by Tropical Cyclone Fehi when NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over the South Pacific Ocean early on Jan. 29. Credit: NASA Goddard Rapid Response Team

Flooding affected parts of New Caledonia, blocking roads and damaging bridges in particular in the commune of Kouaoua. Some landslides were reported near Houaïlou.

Media reports said the Nimbaye river burst it banks near Ponérihouen. Civil security reported that access to areas Canala and Poindimié was hindered by flooding.

The storm has since moved away from the islands, the heavy rain has stopped and all weather warnings have been cancelled.

Météo Nouvelle-Calédonie said that, since the beginning of the storm, 432 mm of rain has been recorded in Nouméa, about 300 mm on the foothills of Panié and Humboldt mountains and 278 mm in Canala.

According to Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Tropical Cyclone Fehi moved south over the South-West Pacific Ocean as a Tropical Storm. On 30 January its centre was located 580 km north-west from Norfolk Island, Australia with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h.

Map of Tropical Cyclone Fehi, January 2018. Image: ECHO

See the full map here.

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