Cyclone Maila to hit Papua New Guinea as Category 2 storm
Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila is expected to strike southeastern Papua New Guinea as a Category 2 system, forecasters warned on Friday.
Australia Bureau of Meteorology said the storm was located about 820 km east of Port Moresby in the Solomon Sea at 10 a.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time (0000 GMT), moving slowly westward, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
The system weakened overnight from Category 4 to Category 3, with wind gusts reaching up to 205 km/h, and is forecast to continue losing strength before landfall.
According to the agency, Cyclone Maila is expected to make landfall in Milne Bay Province early Sunday as a Category 2 cyclone, bringing destructive to very destructive winds to the southeastern tip of the mainland and nearby islands.
The Papua New Guinea National Weather Service issued an updated emergency warning on Friday for Milne Bay Province, particularly coastal and island communities.
The warning said the cyclone would bring very heavy rain, flooding, storm surge, coastal inundation, and a range of damaging wind conditions, urging residents to take immediate precautions to protect life and property.
The Bureau of Meteorology added that the cyclone could continue tracking toward the Australian mainland early next week.
News.Az
By Nijat Babayev
