World

Cyclones threaten Fiji, Solomon Islands, PNG, even NZ

Apr 7, 2026

A file photo of palms — Two severe cyclones are causing havoc in the Pacific with New Zealand potentially in the firing line -AAP Image

Twin tropical cyclones are ravaging Melanesia, with Maila stirring up trouble in the Solomon Sea and Vaianu darting across the South Pacific.

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On Tuesday afternoon AEST, both were category three systems, with destructive winds above 120km/h, lashing Solomon Islands and Fiji.

Modelling suggests the cyclones may bring wild weather to Australia and New Zealand by week's end.

Vaianu is to the west of Fiji and travelling southwards, with a tail bringing storms and rain to the main island of Viti Levu.

It is not predicted to make landfall, with the worst of the weather forecast for Tuesday.

Maila has largely stayed still, brewing for several days in the warm waters between Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

"It's not going to move much for the next couple of days, it's like a wheel stuck in mud," said WeatherWatch head forecaster Philip Duncan.

While Maila's eye is at sea, the fringes of the storm have battered the Western and Choiseul regions of Solomon Islands.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said the national disaster management arrangements were fully activated with a red alert for those regions.

Models suggest it will move west towards the end of the week and track over the tip of the Papuan Peninsula, and then Queensland north of Cooktown.

Should this eventuate, it will pass in the vicinity where Narelle made landfall as a category four storm in March.

At that point, the cyclone may ease and be downgraded to a tropical low.

On Tuesday, posts by the Fiji Meteorological Service showed Vainau bringing flooding to Nadi, the tourism hotspot and home to the region's biggest airport.

Mr Duncan said the system was moving south at pace, keeping out of the way of Tonga, and was likely to then impact New Zealand.

"The storm curves around ... and that means it's getting pretty confident now this storm is going to come into New Zealand this weekend," he said.

"The computer modelling has been aligned now for a couple of days."

Some models suggest the storm will hit the North Island near Auckland or Tauranga around Sunday.

Mr Duncan said it could bring similar intensity to Cyclone Gabrielle, which hit in 2023, killing a dozen people and costing billions of dollars, mostly in lost agricultural exports and infrastructure.

"European modelling showed 969 hectopascals. That is very low air pressure. Cyclone Gabrielle was 965," he said.