Freak wave hits Tahitian Islands...look here if you're going!

[Commodore Suzy]

I have clients currently on a land trip to Tahiti, and, wouldn't you know it, a freak Tsunami-like wave has hit a bunch of islands over there and caused major damage.

 

If you're planning something pre or post cruise in:

Bora Bora

Raitea

Taha'a

or Tikehau

You might want to check with your resort to be sure it's still going to be available for you. Please give them a few days to sort out folks that are there and suddenly don't have rooms and such before contacting them. I'm sure they'd appreciate it.

[calikak]

Wow, that's pretty scary...thanks for the heads-up. Hope your clients are OK! Do they know what caused the wave?

[Ninjachyck]

:confused: When was this? I can't find anything anywhere on it...do you have any sources or links to check? :eek:

[CSloan]

I've been searching too. .haven't found any news stories at all on this.

[Ninjachyck]

:eek: (Tahitipresse) - Heavy swells over the weekend caused major damage on the Leeward Islands of Raiatea and Bora Bora and the Windward Islands of Tahiti and Moorea. There were no reports of human injuries or deaths anywhere in French Polynesia.

 

Two deluxe hotels were reported damage on the island of Bora Bora, where some 78 homes were reported flooded, some of them destroyed. The hotels involved were the 64-room Hotel Sofitel Marara, which has been closed for renovation work since June, and the 64-bungalow InterContinental Moana Beach Bora Bora. Guests had to be evacuated from over-the-water bungalows.

There were no immediate reports of whether other hotels had been damaged.

 

65 homes flooded on Raiatea, badly damaging 6 of them

 

On the island of Raiatea, the swells that began in the southernmost Austral Islands at the start of the weekend flooded 65 homes, badly damaging six of them, according to an official civil defense report.

On the island of Tahiti, several homes in the south coast Commune of Papara and on Tahiti’s peninsula were flooded, with two of them badly damaged as the lagoon inside the coral reef overflowed during the night, crossing the circle island road, washing away parts of beaches and dumping debris on the beaches and roads.

On Tahiti’s sister island of Moorea, heavy road damage was reported and a boat was nearly lost before rescuers saved it.

 

Air Tahiti cancels flights to 7 Tuamotu atolls as airport runways are flooded

 

Air Tahiti, French Polynesia’s domestic airline, canceled several flights to the Tuamotu Archipelago because runways were flooded. Airports were reported closed on the Tuamotu atolls of Fakahina, Makemo, Tukume, Tatakoto, Nukutavake, Vaitahi and Apataki. Some homes on those atolls were also flooded.

Météo France, the French State meteorological service, began warning at midday Thursday of “very dangerous” swells for the Austral Islands, the Gambier Island the southeastern Tuamotu Archipelago. Météo France also warned that the Society Islands, which include the Leeward and Windward Islands, could also expect heavy swells.

 

Bora Bora hit by heavy swells late Saturday night and early Sunday morning

 

For the Leeward and Windward Islands, those heavy swells arrived late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. They began hitting Bora Bora around 10 pm Saturday.

The French Navy, which had several of its Papeete-based vessels conducting exercises in the Leeward Islands, sent forces to Bora Bora to help clean up the damage. Anne Boquet, who just arrived early Saturday as French Polynesia’s new French High Commissioner, requested the French military forces for Bora Bora.

The military joined forces with local firefighters and French gendarmes based on Bora Bora to go to the aid of residents.:eek:

 

I'm thinking anyone that has questions should contact their TA or the hotel directly....:confused:

[CSloan]

Thanks for the info!