Weather conditions in Port Moresby and provinces where cyclone Ita has passed through are expected to improve tomorrow as the cyclone makes landfall and slows down in Northern Queensland, Australia, today.
PNG weather Office said that although PNG has passed the risk of a tropical cyclone, Milne Bay, Central, Gulf and Western provinces should expect some more rain and storm surges.
Cyclone Ita, which entered PNG at category 3, has intensified to category 5 upon its entry into Northen Queensland in Australia.
The downpour and floods in Port Moresby yesterday were a result of this cyclone which moved into PNG waters on Monday before intensifying to Category 3.
Mr Gamoga from the PNG weather office said that PNG was also in its usual wet season which lasts from November to May, and with the cyclone crossing over PNG, the country should expect more wet weather to come.
He said that while the risk of the Tropical Cyclone has passed, the wet weather in the coming days is due to the cyclone hanging in on the waters of Northern Queensland.
This is also expected to improve, as it makes landfall there and dissipates.
Mr Gamoga said the cyclone was still a tropical depression when it first entered Solomon Islands, causing floods on March 2 , but developed into a cyclone in PNG waters on March 5 and intensified to Category 5 as it entered Australian waters yesterday at 1pm.
The last cyclone PNG experienced was Cyclone Guba that wrought havoc in the Northen Province resulting in 103 deaths, 104 persons unaccounted for, 32 injuries, and schools and houses destroyed.
Mr Gamoga further said that on average, PNG receives one cyclone every year.
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