RNZ Pacific cyclone watch service is operating

8th January 2024
RNZ Pacific has revised the on-air frequencies for its cyclone watch service for the cyclone season of 2023-2024.
Chief Ben Lovo and his family of Bongkil Village on Erromango, Vanuatu. He says shortwave broadcasts from RNZ Pacific's cyclone watch service during Cyclone Pam allowed him to warn four villages. - RNZI/Koroi Hawkins

This piece was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission. 

RNZ Pacific has updated the on-air frequencies for its cyclone watch service for the 2023-2024 cyclone season.

The cyclone watch service was activated early this year due to tropical cyclone Lola which devastated parts of Vanuatu in October 2023.

Once cyclone alerts are issued, RNZ Pacific will broadcast hourly updates of these bulletins if necessary, and whenever the situation changes. These will be heard either just before the top of each hour or following news bulletins at the top of each hour.

Read more: “A vital tool”: Why RNZ turned to shortwave after the Tongan volcanic eruption

We will do our best to keep people informed of all-weather updates on-air and online.

Our information comes from the Fiji Meteorological Service and the New Zealand MetService.

In addition, we can access weather bulletins from the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, and Tonga Meteorological Offices.

We try to get damage reports from local authorities, non-governmental agencies active in the field and people affected whom we manage to reach.

You can also follow RNZ Pacific on X formerly Twitter @RNZPacific and on @RNZPacific Facebook.