Cyclone Hina

During March 11, 1997, a shallow tropical depression developed within the monsoon trough near the Fijian Dependency of Rotuma. Over the next two days the depression remained near Rotuma with little to no movement, as it started to develop further in an area of minimal vertical wind shear and good upper air divergence. During March 13, as the system moved northwards, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) subsequently initiated advisories on the system and designated it as Tropical Cyclone 33P. During that day after having moved to the north, Hina curved to the east and later south-eastwards, before it passed about to the southeast of Niulakita the southernmost island of Tuvalu during March 14. Early on March 16, as Hina passed over the southern islands of Tonga, the FMS reported that based on satellite imagery and guidance from other meteorological centers, the system had 10-minute sustained wind speeds of . Hina subsequently passed over the islands of Tongatapu and ʻEua in southern Tonga at around 08:30 UTC and took less than 2 hours to inflict considerable damage on the islands. The system subsequently emerged back into the South Pacific Ocean, with the FMS estimating that the system had storm-force winds of about . Over the next few days the system continued to move towards the south-southeast and gradually weakened, before the NPMOC issued its final advisory during March 18, as the system was undergoing a transition to become an extratropical cyclone. The system weakened below tropical cyclone intensity during the next day, before it was last noted by MetService on March 21, while it was located about to the south of the Pitcairn Islands. After an analysis of the observed data and the damage in Tonga, the FMS found that Hina's landfall intensity had been underestimated. ==Preparations and impact==

Cyclone Hina caused over worth of damage and was indirectly responsible for one death as it affected Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna and Tonga. Cyclone Gavin and Hina's waves, storm surge and strong winds both caused a severe amount of coastal erosion on all of the country’s nine atolls with about 6.7% of the land washed into the sea. Both cyclones caused severe coastal erosion and destruction to food crops, mostly to the southern islands of Niulakita and Nukulaelae, while damage in northern and central islands was confined mostly to houses. Rehabilitation costs from all three cyclones, amounted to (). Wallis and Futuna As the system developed into a tropical cyclone during March 14, gale warnings were issued for the French territory of Wallis and Futuna. Late on March 15, ahead of the system affecting Tonga, gale warnings were issued for the Southern Tongan island groups of Haʻapai, Tongatapu and Vavaʻu. A post disaster survey attributed the greater damages to higher than expected wind gusts caused by either a low level squall or a jet streak. One indirect death was also reported, after a sea captain suffered a heart attack while evacuating from his home. The system affected the islands after the lowest tide for the day, as a result sea damage was minimal, though some evidence of salt damage to taro plantations was observed. The Tongan Government provided () or about 5% of its national budget to facilitate the immediate start of emergency relief and repairs to essential services. At the meeting donors were requested to review existing of proposed bilateral programs, to see if they can be adjusted or brought forward to cater for the repairs or rebuilding of schools and other government buildings. The Government of the United Kingdom granted (, ) for ten emergency generators, while the Chinese Government pledged (). The French government provided a cargo plane, to conduct a damage survey of the affected areas and for tents, tarpaulins and blankets and two diesel generators. New accommodation for primary school teachers in the Ha'apai islands and the Niuas was also completed after the Australian and New Zealand Governments funded the projects. ==See also==