The New Zealand Government is monitoring a cyclone which has hit Tonga, and is advising New Zealanders there to monitor the media and follow instructions from local authorities.
Category 4 Cyclone Rene had caused power outages, torn off roofs and cut communications in the Vava'u group of islands.
It was expected to hit Ha'apai early this afternoon and the capital of Nukualofa this evening.
The Government was closely monitoring the situation and planning for a possible response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
New Zealanders in Tonga were advised to register their details at www.safetravel.govt.nz.
People planning to travel to Tonga should contact their travel agent as the cyclone may disrupt flights.
Contact with the northern Vava'u island group was lost shortly after midnight as Cyclone Rene buffeted the low-lying atolls, tearing down trees, cutting roads and sparking coastal flooding as roiling seas surged ashore, the Associated Press reported.
The storm missed both Samoa and American Samoa over the weekend, causing heavy rains, high winds and heavy sea swells but sparing more devastation to both areas.
- NZPA
Govt monitoring Tongan cyclone
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