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Cyclone Jasmine flooding Tonga

A long lasting tropical cyclone is hammering Tonga's main island of Tongatapu with major flooding occurring and phone and electricity lines down.Cyclone Jasmine – which was born on February 4 over the Queensland city of Cairns – is now parked 120 kilometres west of Nuku'alofa, bringing heavy rains.Nasa's Aqua satellite has captured an image of Jasmine showing a classic cyclone, but one which is virtually stationary.Nasa says the image showed the strongest thunderstorms and heaviest rainfall appear to be on the north-eastern quadrant of the storm – placing it over the populated parts of the Tongan archipelago.Family Facebook postings from Tonga show severe rain and heavy flooding.The Legislative Assembly, which is debating an apology to New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully after a government official called him ''two-faced'', has now adjourned to allow politicians to help out with coping with the f