Tropical cyclone warning for Solomons

Last Updated: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:35:00 +1100

Tropical Cyclone Ului has intensified overnight as it moves towards Solomon Islands.

The Fiji meteological service says the storm is packing maximum wind speeds of about 210 kilometres an hour.

Solomon Islands has issued a tropical storm warning for Rennell and Bellona Islands, and Makira, Guadalcanal, Central and Malaita provinces.

Brett Harrison from the Queensland weather bureau says storm was upgraded overnight from category three to category five.

"It does mean that wind speeeds are significantly increased so any areas that will be in the path of the cyclone will receive significant damage," he said.

"At this stage it's moving towards the south of the Solomon Islands, near Rennell Island, that's the main island in its path."

The storm is expected to hit Rennell Island in the next twelve to twenty four hours.

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Tomas is now expected reach Fiji by Monday afternoon.

But the Fiji Meteorological Office says conditions will become stormy before then.