1 Jan 2013

Cyclone Freda weakening

8:04 pm on 1 January 2013

Tropical Cyclone Freda has begun to weaken as it is approaches New Caledonia.

The storm has been in the Coral Sea since the weekend.

Radio New Zealand International reported the cyclone is forecast to move at about 10km per hour in a southerly direction before beginning to veer towards the southeast on Tuesday night.

By Thursday, it is expected to have moved to within about 150km of Noumea.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Government says it has yet to receive any requests for help from the Solomon Islands Government in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Freda.

A spokesperson for the duty minister, Chris Finlayson, says officials are monitoring the situation.