Tropical Cyclone Rene has been upgraded to a Category Four cyclone as it heads for Tonga where its expected to cause severe destruction from early tomorrow.
The Fiji Meteorological Service expected that Cyclone Rene will continue on a west-southwest path toward central and southern Tonga where people have been advised to take precautions.
Tonga's National Disaster Management Office is busy preparing responses throughout the various island groups.
Rene has winds of 90 knots close to the centre.
With forecasters predicting the cyclone to intensify as it heads towards the Ha'apai and Tongatapu Groups, the Disaster Management Office's Male'u Takai said they were bracing for the worst.
"It's very likely that it'll be very close to the main island, if not on top of us and it's intensifying so... we are bracing ourselves for the worst."
Male'u Takai said they were considering evacuation plans in case of storm surges.
