Warnings cancelled as tropical depression moves away from the Cook Islands

Several severe weather warnings for parts of the Cook Islands have now been cancelled according to the Cook Islands Meteorological Service.

The warnings were issued following a tropical depression that moved across the southern group of the Cook Islands bringing heavy rain bands, and gale force to strong winds.

There were reports of some minor damage on Rarotonga as the system passed over.

"We have had a few branches and things on the road, and even the seawall was closed during the period the tropical depression passed over us, and we had some pretty big waves hit our town wharf, the Avarua wharf," according to the Cook Islands Meteorological Service's operation manager Manea Bates.

Manea Bates said from Rarotonga, the tropical depression then moved to the nearby small island of Mangaia.

In the final special weather bulletin for the Southern Cook Islands, the tropical depression TD10F is moving southeast and further away from the group.

Bates said the system no longer poses a threat to the Southern group.