Cyclone Maila: Queensland Braces for Heavy Rain as Storm Weakens

Tropical Cyclone Maila has been downgraded to a category one system as it continues to move through the Solomon Sea toward Papua New Guinea.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reported that the system was downgraded at 4 a.m. AEST on Saturday, with sustained winds near the center recorded at 75 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 100 kilometers per hour. The cyclone is currently leisurely-moving, positioned approximately 630 kilometers west-northwest of Honiara and 810 kilometers east of Port Moresby.

Senior meteorologist Dean Naramore stated that the system is expected to weaken further as it tracks west-southwest. This decline in strength is attributed to increasing wind shear and ocean temperatures that have dropped below 27 degrees Celsius, reducing the energy available to the storm.

While the system is forecast to move across or near southeastern Papua New Guinea before emerging into the Coral Sea early next week, forecasters indicate We see unlikely to reach the coast of Queensland as a cyclone. It is expected to arrive in Far North Queensland as a weak low-pressure system or trough, which is predicted to increase rain and thunderstorm activity in the region.

Impacts across the Pacific

Before its current weakening, Maila reached category five strength in the Solomon Sea, with sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour and gusts peaking at 295 kilometers per hour. The storm caused widespread destruction across the Solomon Islands, Bougainville, and Papua New Guinea.

In the Solomon Islands’ Western Province, a primary tourist precinct, buildings were destroyed and villages reported severe flooding and storm surges. On Simbo Island, the roof of a health clinic was lost. Local reports indicate that three people are missing in the Solomon Islands.

In Bougainville, heavy rains caused rivers to swell, leading to landslides and the collapse of a bridge. Roads in multiple areas have been destroyed or rendered impassable.

Papua New Guinea has reported two deaths. Authorities in the country have expressed specific concerns for two small islands in the southeast, which the eye of the storm was projected to pass over.

Institutional Response

The Solomon Islands government has activated the National Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate response efforts and collect impact reports. The Solomon Islands Cabinet is scheduled to hold an urgent meeting on Wednesday to determine support and response measures for the affected communities.

The system is now forecast to move toward southeastern Papua New Guinea before transitioning into the Coral Sea.