THE Northern Emergency Operation Centre is monitoring a tropical depression located about 186 kilometres northeast of Udu Point yesterday afternoon.
But the Fiji Meteorological Service has confirmed the depression would not pose any direct threat to the country at this stage.
Director of Meteorology, Alipate Waqaicelua told this newspaper the depression was gradually moving towards the south of the country at three kilometres per hour.
"At this stage, there is no direct threat to the country as the depression is located between Fiji and Futuna and is expected to hit the Tongan waters once it develops into a cyclone," he said.
With a few showers experienced in Labasa, authorities have warned members of the public to be on the look-out as mishaps were bound to occur to anyone at anytime.
Divisional planning officer Northern Alipate Bolalevu said the team was operating on a skeleton staff to monitor the situation.
"We are still in the cyclone period and there is an urgent need for everyone to take weather warnings seriously because mishaps can happen to anyone at any time of the day," he said.
"This might just be a depression but it can later develop into a cyclone and hit us. Let's be prepared and be alert so we can all be safe."
Mr Bolalevu said parents should also monitor their children's whereabouts, especially those in rural areas as flooding was expected in certain areas because of the rain.
A public weather bulletin issued at 1pm yesterday said a trough of low pressure with cloud and rain bands had affected the Fiji Group.
The trough was expected to bring in occasional rain, heavy at times and squally thunderstorms over Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Lau and Lomaiviti Group and eastern Viti Levu.