Tropical cyclone Maila has intensified and is now category 4. And it has U-turned and is now moving towards the Western province.
Solomon Islands Meteorological Service (SIMS) issued a Tropical Cyclone Warning Number 12 at 7.30pm today alerting that Western province is under cyclone warning.
On Monday, Maila was 263km southwest of Ranongga, Western Province, and moving south west – away from the country and towards PNG.
This evening, at 5pm, SIMS said Maila is 167km southwest of Rendova, is now slowly moving northeast.
SIMS is monitoring the situation and updating the nation. Listen out via radio and follow on facebook for weather updates from SIMS.
See below SIMS latest update
TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING NUMBER TWELVE
TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING NUMBER TWELVE ISSUED BY THE SOLOMON ISLANDS METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE AT 7:30PM THIS EVENING, TUESDAY 07TH APRIL 2026.
A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING IS CURRENT FOR WESTERN PROVINCE.
SITUATION: AT 5:00PM THIS EVENING, SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE MAILA (CATEGORY FOUR) WITH A CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 951 HECTOPASCALS WAS LOCATED NEAR 9.9 DEGREES LATITUDE SOUTH AND 156.4 DEGREES LONGITUDE EAST (9,F ON TRACKING MAP). THIS IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 90 NAUTICAL MILES (167 KILOMETERS) SOUTHWEST OF RENDOVA ISLAND, WESTERN PROVINCE.
SEVERE CYCLONE MAILA IS SLOWLY MOVING NORTHEAST, SOUTH OF WESTERN PROVINCE IN THE SOLOMON SEA AND INTENSIFYING.
EXPECT GALE FORCE WINDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS (63-70 KILOMETERS PER HOUR) OVER WHOLE OF WESTERN PROVINCE WITH VERY ROUGH SEAS AND MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS (3.5–6.0 METRES) WITH COASTAL FLOODING AND WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS.
ELSEWHERE (OTHER PROVINCES), EXPECT WINDS TO REACH 20 TO 25 KNOTS (37- 46 KILOMETERS PER HOUR) INCREASING TO 33 KNOTS (61 KILOMETERS PER HOUR) OVER CHOISEUL AND ISABEL PROVINCES WITH MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS AND MODERATE SWELLS (2.5-4.0 METERS) AND POTENTIAL COASTAL FLOODING. EXPECT HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REMAINING PROVINCES.
SUCH BAD WEATHER MAY LEAD TO POSSIBLE LANDSLIDE AND FLOODING OVER COMMUNITIES LIVING NEAR HILL SLOPES, CLOSE TO LARGE RIVERS, STREAMS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.
SEA TRAVELERS ARE URGED TO CONSIDER SAFETY ACTIONS AS SUCH HEAVY RAIN CAN REDUCE VISIBILITY.
MOTORISTS ARE ALSO ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN TRAVELLING ON ROAD. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS RIVERS AND LARGE STREAMS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.
PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AS BAD WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE POSES THREATS TO LIVES AND PROPERTIES.
PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
PLEASE LISTEN TO SIBC AND ALL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
THE NEXT TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING WILL BE ISSUED AT 1:30AM AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
