For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Sina.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Sina
Cyclone Sina near its peak intensity
Meteorological history
Formed
November 20, 1990 (1990-11-20)
Extratropical
December 1, 1990
Dissipated
December 4, 1990 (1990-12-04)
Category 3 severe tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (FMS)
Highest winds
140 km/h (85 mph)
Lowest pressure
960 hPa (mbar); 28.35 inHg
Category 4-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds
230 km/h (145 mph)
Overall effects
Fatalities
None
Damage
$18.5 million (1990 USD)
Areas affected
Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Southern Cook Islands
IBTrACS
Part of the 1990–91 South Pacific cyclone season
Severe Tropical Cyclone Sina was the only named tropical cyclone to develop within the South Pacific basin during the 1990–91 season. The system was first noted as a shallow depression within the South Pacific Convergence Zone to the west of Wallis Island. Over the next three days the system moved towards the west-northwest, before it was named Sina during November 24, after it had developed into a tropical cyclone. Over the next couple of days the system intensified further and developed an eye feature as it erratically moved towards Fiji. Sina subsequently peaked in intensity during November 26, before the system passed through the Fijian Islands over the next two days as it started to gradually weaken. Sina subsequently passed just to the north of Tongatapu in Tonga during November 29, before it passed about 160 km (100 mi) to the south of Niue and near the Southern Cook Islands during the next day. The system subsequently rapidly weakened and became an extratropical cyclone during December 1, before they were absorbed by an advancing trough of low pressure near 50°S on December 4.
The cyclone caused no deaths and over $18.5 million in damages, as it affected Fiji, Tonga, Niue and the Southern Cook Islands. Ahead of the system affecting Fiji, hundreds of people were evacuated from Fiji's outer island resorts to hotels on the mainland. High winds and heavy rain forced the closure of several local airports and the main Nadi International Airport. As Sina moved through the archipelago, the system destroyed or damaged houses and other building structures, while bringing down electric and telephone lines and uprooting trees. The system also washed away a railway bridge on Vanua Levu that was used to take sugar cane to Labasa's mills, leaving growers no choice but to go through the village of Korowiri. However, the workers refused to go into their fields unless they had police protection to go through the village, after Methodists from the local church attacked a group of growers for working on Sundays in defiance of Fiji's Sunday Observance Decree. Within Tonga only minor damage to weak structures, trees, banana plantations, electric and telephone lines was recorded. Within both Niue and the Southern Cook Islands only minor damage to crops and structures was reported.
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