Melbourne, April 7 Authorities in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands have issued warnings about a Category 3 cyclone that is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding.
The PNG National Weather Service issued an emergency warning for the eastern Milne Bay Province on Tuesday morning, stating that Tropical Cyclone Maila will cause very heavy rain, flooding, coastal inundation, and gale-force winds.
It said that people in the region, particularly residents of islands in the Solomon Sea, should seek higher ground and stay away from the coast.
"Take immediate precautions to protect life and property," it said.
The Solomon Islands Meteorological Service said that Tropical Cyclone Maila was growing in strength as it moved slowly east-northeast towards the country's Western Province islands in the Solomon Sea, according to Xinhua news agency.
Islands in the Western Province have been warned to prepare for gale-force winds, coastal flooding, and widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has classified the system as a severe tropical cyclone and stated on Tuesday that it could hit the Australian mainland later in the week.
The Category 3 system is in the Solomon Sea, hundreds of kilometers southwest of the autonomous Papua New Guinea region.
John Miriona, the owner of Bougainville Experience Tours, told RNZ Pacific that he drove from Arawa to Buka on Tuesday morning, and the weather was still wet and windy.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) is advising residents of Buka and surrounding areas, including areas along the mainland's west coast to Kangu in South Bougainville, that wind speeds from Maila will increase.
According to the PNG National Weather Service, the cyclone will cause heavy rain and flooding, gale-force winds, storm surge, and coastal inundation.
Meanwhile, the weather service is warning people in Milne Bay Province to prepare themselves for more severe weather later this week.