Pacific

Lusi no longer threat to Pacific Islands

14:52 pm on 13 March 2014

Cyclone Lusi has moved to the south of Fiji and forecasters say it is no longer posing a threat to Pacific nations but they say its winds are intensifying.

The Category 3 storm, which is now about 600 kilometres south of Nadi, has winds at its centre gusting to 215 kilometres an hour.

Three people have died in Vanuatu and one is seriously injured due to the cyclone.

New Zealand is bracing for a wet and windy weekend as Lusi approaches with Civil Defence issuing advisories for much of the country.

Meanwhile the Australian Bureau of Meteorology says its modelling shows the cyclone will not pass close enough to Norfolk Island to cause any concern.

The head of Fiji's Meteorological Service says Fiji has been spared further threatening weather as Cyclone Lusi moves to the south.

Alipate Waqaicelua says the former tropical cyclone Hadi off the coast of Queensland has helped to turn Lusi away from Fiji.

"All the activities associated with this cyclone have gone with the cyclone. We're very fortunate that it has made an early turn towards the south, sparing Fiji from what could have been a much worse situation."

Alipate Waqaicelua says flood warnings have been lifted and the same is likely to happen to heavy swell warnings later today.

Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office says two people were killed by trees and one person drowned during Cyclone Lusi.

A senior liaison officer, Philip Meto, says it is still gathering information from the six provinces but communication has been difficult.

"Two of them were hit by branches of trees. And one of them they found him floating on the sea. So they believe he must be floated somewhere with the rough sea, been thrown ashore."

Philip Meto says officials are being assisted by the Red Cross.

He says schools and government offices re-opened today.