Powerful cyclone strikes South Pacific Islands

Tropical Cyclone Harold. (WPLG)

While we are still nearly two months away from the official start to the Atlantic hurricane season, other parts of the world are getting hammered by a very intense tropical cyclone.

The island nation of Vanuatu took a direct hit from Tropical Cyclone Harold on Sunday. The nation is made up of roughly 80 islands, and the island Epsiritu Santo was the site of landfall.

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Winds were around 130 mph, making it equivalent to a category 4 hurricane. The South Pacific uses a different rating system than ours, and it tops out at winds greater than 124 mph. Tropical Cyclone Harold is considered a category 5 by their rating system.

The cyclone disrupted social distancing measures on an island nation that was already under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus. The ban on gatherings greater than five people obviously had to come to an end as residents sought refuge to shelters.

Sadly, the storm has already proven deadly. A ferry went down near the Solomon Islands, leaving five confirmed dead and 22 more missing.

The storm is forecast to track near or just south of Fiji by the middle of the week, weakening only very slightly.

Remember, not only do cyclones spin the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere compared to our hurricanes, but their peak season is during our winter. The South Pacific tropical cyclone season officially runs from November 1 – April 30.