Fiji imposes curfew as it prepares for major cyclone to hit

This Tuesday, Dec. 15 2020, satellite image released by NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) shows Cyclone Yasa, top center right, over Fiji. (NASA via AP)

SUVA, Fiji — Fiji imposed a nationwide curfew Thursday after urging people near the coast to move to higher ground as the island nation prepared for a major cyclone to hit.

Cyclone Yasa was expected to hit the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu later Thursday or early Friday. Authorities imposed an overnight curfew and declared a state of natural disaster.

The National Disaster Management Office warned the cyclone could bring waves as high as 16 metres (52 feet) in some places and sustained winds of up to 250 kilometres per hour (155 mph), with gusts hitting 350 km/h (217 mph).

In the capital Suva, many residents were experiencing power cuts.

Michael Cheer, who owns the Samabula Cake Shop, was moving cakes into his car so he could take them home and put them into a cooler, rather than driving them across the island to deliver them to another town.

"It's gonna be really rough. Today is delivery day, and I was supposed to go to Nadi, but I can't go west," Cheer said. "The power is off. Over 100 cakes could be ruined."

Many had memories of Cyclone Winston, which hit in 2016 and killed more than 40 people. Stephanie Brown and her family were busy boarding up their home in preparation, saying it's something they do regularly for cyclones.

"This is the usual, but we never know," Brown said. "The storm might turn around and hit us like Winston."

Akshay Kumar, co-owner of the Grillenium Authentic Food House, said Winston was bad and he was expecting another strong storm.

"It's gonna affect business bigtime in the food industry," Kumar said. "People are not roaming around. They're prepping for the cyclone."

Located about one-third of the way between New Zealand and Hawaii, Fiji has a population of about 930,000.

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Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand.