A category two cyclone has ripped roofs off houses and flattened trees in the Solomon Islands. <\/p>\n
Officials in the Solomons say high winds and floodwaters caused some damage, but there has been no reports of deaths. <\/p>\n
Solomon Islands Meteorological Service officer Manoah Tepa says there was also flooding from rising rivers as winds of up to 130 kilometres an hour blew in, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries. <\/p>\n
Sajay Prakesh of the Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre in Fiji said although the cyclone was moving away, parts of the Solomon Islands were being hit by \"very strong winds and heavy rain\". <\/p>\n
\"Cyclone Freda is now a category two cyclone and it is continuing to intensify,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"It will become category three by midnight tonight having very destructive winds.\" <\/p>\n
On Friday, the New Zealand-based meteorological service Weatherwatch said the storm was expected to be over New Caledonia on New Year's Day. <\/p>\n
Earlier this month Cyclone Evan strengthened to a category four cyclone and left a swathe of devastation in its wake, destroying homes, flooding rivers and stranding thousands of tourists in Fiji. <\/p>\n
Before arriving in Fiji, it pummelled neighbouring Samoa, killing at least five. <\/p>\n
Queensland weather forecaster Peter Otto says the tropical cyclone is about 1,300km from the Australian coast. <\/p>\n
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Intensifying Cyclone Freda hits Soloman Islands<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A category two cyclone has ripped roofs off houses and flattened trees in the Solomon Islands. Continue reading