▁a ▁pressure ▁of ▁ 9 7 2   m bar ▁( h Pa ; ▁ 2 8 . 7   in H g ). ▁ ▁Pre par ations ▁and ▁impact ▁ ▁T ong a ▁On ▁December ▁ 3 0 , ▁just ▁a ▁day ▁before ▁W aka ▁passed ▁through ▁T ong a , ▁warnings ▁were ▁issued ▁for ▁numerous ▁islands , ▁including ▁parts ▁of ▁F iji ▁and ▁Sam oa . ▁Fore cast s ▁showed ▁the ▁storm ▁passing ▁directly ▁over ▁the ▁low - lying ▁T ong an ▁capital ▁of ▁Nu ku ' al of a ▁as ▁a ▁Category   3 ▁cy clone . ▁O wing ▁to ▁warnings ▁from ▁local ▁media , ▁all ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁E ve ▁celebr ations ▁were ▁can ce led ▁as ▁residents ▁and ▁tour ists ▁board ed ▁up ▁their ▁homes . ▁All ▁air ports ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁were ▁shut ▁down ▁and ▁fer ry ▁service ▁was ▁susp ended . ▁Many ▁residents ▁on ▁the ▁small ▁island ▁of ▁Ni ua fo ' ou , ▁about ▁ 3 5   km 2 ▁( 1 3 . 5   mi 2 ) ▁in ▁size , ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁other ▁islands ▁prior ▁to ▁W aka ' s ▁arrival . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁storm ▁was ▁moving ▁through ▁the ▁islands ▁of ▁T ong a ▁at ▁peak ▁strength , ▁a ▁few ▁islands ▁recorded ▁h urr icane - force ▁wind s ; ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Ne ia fu ▁measured ▁the ▁strong est ▁wind s , ▁pe aking ▁at ▁ 1 8 5   km / h ▁( 1 1 5  