People in Fiji are being warned they may get a direct hit from a severe cyclone in the coming days.
Cyclone Yasa Photo: Fiji Met Service
Cyclone Yasa is now a category 5 storm, the highest possible level, and there is a growing likelihood it will pass directly over Fiji's two main islands late Thursday or early Friday.
The storm is packing average winds of around 200 km/h with gusts up to 280 km/h.
Stephen Meke, a lead forecaster at the Fiji Meteorological Service, said ocean conditions were perfect for it to strengthen further and people should heed warnings.
"All the ingredients for further intensification is there," Meke said. "This is massive for Fiji, it will be very destructive for Fijians.
"We should expect a lot of rain, a lot of disaster, a lot of flood, even storm surge to be happening. That is what we are anticipating."
Already, towns and villages are boarding up their houses and stocking up on food and water supplies.
The government also announced that all schools would be closed on Wednesday ahead of the cyclone's expected arrival.
All students between years 1 and 11 have been asked to stay home, but year 12 and 13 students with exams will still have to sit them.
If Cyclone Yasa does track as forecast, it would be the second category 5 cyclone in the region this year after Cyclone Harold caused extensive devastation in Vanuatu and Fiji in April.
In a video address, prime minister Frank Bainimarama urged people to hunker down and prepare for heavy rain, damaging winds, coastal inundation and flooding.
"Let's remember Cyclone Harold, at the last minute it ramped up in strength and ended up being worse than predicted," he said. "Do not be caught off guard."
"I urge communities to use this time to trim tree branches, clean drains, board up homes, prepare emergency kits and take other steps to keep your homes and communities safe."
Cyclone Harold also caused millions of dollars worth of damage in Fiji, killed one man and injured at least 20 others.
Nearly five years Cyclone Winston, also a category 5 storm, wreaked havoc across Fiji and killed 44 people.
Cyclone Zazu heads out to sea
Meanwhile a second storm, Cyclone Zazu, had moved away from the Tongan islands of Vava'u towards the ocean between Tonga and Niue.
The category 2 system with average winds of up to 95 km/h was moving in a southeast direction and forecast to be 240km from Alofi, 490km from Nuku'alofa by the afternoon.
There have been no reports of major damage from Vava'u.