A state of emergency was declared in Tonga ahead of Cyclone Gita, which was forecast to reach Category Five by around 7 pm local time.
As parts of the country experienced power outages, Tonga’s police urged people to stay indoors.
Winds were forecast to reach between 220 and 230 km/h.
Reports said this would make the cyclone the strongest ever to hit Tonga.
These videos show winds picking up through the evening of February 12. Credit: VDakaSini via Storyful