TROPICAL STORM STILL NORTH OF COOK ISLANDS

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

TROPICAL STORM STILL NORTH OF COOK ISLANDS
Storm expected to become a cyclone

HONOLULU (Pacific Islands Report, Feb. 9, 2010) – A brewing storm north of the Cook Islands on Monday remained classified as a Tropical Storm with winds up to 73 miles per hour but was expected to intensify into a cyclone by Tuesday.

Tropical Storm Pat was moving south towards the northern Cook Islands but was expected to swing to the west.

According to Tropical Storm Risk, Pat is likely to continue in a south-westerly direction and track just south of Niue later this week.

[PIR editor’s note: According to Radio New Zealand International, emergency centres were being activated in anticipation of strong winds in the northern Cook Islands of Manihiki, Rakahanga and Suwarrow.]

Tropical Storm Pat follows on the heels of supercyclone Oli, which pounded the islands of Tubuai and nearby Mataura in the Austral island group south of Tahiti last Friday with winds of up to 155 miles per hour.

Current damage assessments indicate 200 homes were damaged, totaling $11 million in losses, and one person was swept out to sea.

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