Source: Zoom.earth

Severe Tropical Cyclone Vaianu continues to move away from Fiji waters this morning, but its outer bands are still bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding risks across the country.

In a bulletin issued at 5:30am today from the National Weather Forecasting Centre in Nadi, Category 3 Cyclone Vaianu was located about 255 kilometres west-southwest of Nadi and around 300 kilometres west of Kadavu.

Forecasters say the system is moving south-southeast at about 18 kilometres per hour, and is expected to be positioned further away by tomorrow evening about 420 kilometres south of Nadi and 305 kilometres south-southwest of Kadavu.

While the cyclone is steadily moving away, a Heavy Rain Warning remains in force for the entire Fiji group, along with a Flash Flood Warning for Viti Levu and a Flash Flood Alert for the rest of the country.

A Strong Wind Warning also remains in force for all land areas, with gusty northerly winds expected to continue across many parts of the country today.

Forecasters say Western Viti Levu, including Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, the Coral Coast and Rakiraki, will continue to experience strong to near-gale force winds, with gusts up to 95 kilometres per hour.

The Yasawa and Mamanuca groups are also expected to be heavily affected, along with Kadavu and parts of the Northern Division, where rough seas and periods of heavy rain will persist.

However, weather conditions are expected to gradually improve from the west later tomorrow as the cyclone continues moving further away from Fiji.

Authorities are warning that localised heavy rain could still cause flash flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas, even as the system weakens and exits.

They say conditions should steadily ease into Thursday, with showers gradually clearing across most parts of the country.