Published: April 4, 2020
Cyclone Harold was seen hitting the Solomon Islands on Friday, April 3, 2020.
At least 24 passengers were reported missing in the Solomon Islands after a ferry sailed into Cyclone Harold's strong winds and violent seas early Friday morning.
Officials told the New York Times that the MV Taimareho departed late Thursday night and was traveling from the capital of Honiara, bound for Malaita Province. Between 2 and 3 a.m. Friday, at least two dozen passengers were reported overboard, the report added.
Rescue crews were sent out to look for the missing passengers, but the poor conditions brought on by the cyclone hampered the search, according to BBC.com.
Ships were warned by authorities not to set sail while the cyclone was making seas rough, the Guardian reported. The ferry passengers were being chartered back to their home villages as the country attempts to mitigate the impacts of the coronavirus on the biggest cities, the report added.
While the Solomon Islands have yet to confirm its first case of COVID-19, search and rescue resources were reduced because of the disease; A rescue helicopter could not be used because its second pilot is quarantined, the Guardian also said.
At the time of the incident, maximum sustained winds were 40 mph, with gusts possibly reaching 50 mph, according to weather observations in the area.
As the storm moved through, the country's national disaster agency warned of an elevated landslide risk on the islands, BBC.com reported.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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