Cook Islands on cyclone alert

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Tropical Cyclone Pat has formed overnight in the Cook Islands, putting the archipelago on alert.

Pat follows Oli which grew out of the same area and battered neighbouring French Polynesia.

The new cyclone is 150 kilometres south of Manihiki in the northern Cook Islands and is moving southeast at 18 kilometres per hour.

Pat is expected to strengthen and move towards the south.

The lightly populated atolls of Suwarrow, Manihiki and Rakahanga are in line to be hit by Pat.

In 1997 Cyclone Martin hit Manihiki and killed 19 people.

Oli, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, has caused widespread damage in French Polynesia, especially the Leeward Islands.

Tubuai in the Australs saw half the homes destroyed.

Twenty people were injured.

- © Fairfax NZ News