The category-five cyclone – one of the most powerful ever recorded in the region – flattened homes and left thousands without power or communications

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The death toll from a massive category five cyclone that swept through Fiji is now believed to have risen to at least 10.

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation says authorities have confirmed 10 people lost their lives on the western side of the island group after Cyclone Winston hit over the weekend.

It’s not yet clear whether this number adds to the five deaths confirmed by the Fiji government on Sunday.



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FBC said the 10 fatalities occurred in Ra, Nadi and Lautoka and were caused mainly by flying debris and storm surges.

There are also fears for seven fishermen from the Yasawas now believed to be missing at sea.

“They had gone out to sea on Friday and have not been heard from since,” FBC said on Monday.

Relief efforts will continue on Monday after unrelenting rain and downed power lines hampered officials trying to assess the damage caused by one of the southern hemisphere’s most powerful cyclones on record.

A curfew will be lifted on Monday morning after officials worked to clear vital roads and the main airport overnight.

Fiji’s prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, has confirmed at least five people died after Cyclone Winston swept through the tiny island nation on Saturday night, flattening homes and downing trees.



“Many people have been left stunned and confused about what to do,” he said.

“This is a time of sorrow but it will also be a time of action ... we will reclaim what we have lost.

“There’s still much work to be done.”

Australian aid agencies have offered their assistance, including an appeal launched by the Australian Red Cross.

The relief efforts come after Cyclone Winston tore through with winds gusting to 325km/h and waves up to 12m high, cutting communication across much of the country of almost 900,000.

About 80% of people were without regular power, although a third of those were able to use generators. Telephone landlines were down but most mobile networks were working.

Authorities were urging people to remain indoors as they cleared fallen trees and power lines. They said all schools would be closed for a week to allow time for the cleanup.

A nationwide curfew was extended through Sunday and the government declared a 30-day state of natural disaster, giving extra powers to police to arrest people without a warrant in the interest of public safety.

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Authorities said that there were fears for villages on the island of Koro, north-east of Suva.



“Some villages have reported that all homes have been destroyed,” Jone Tuiipelehaki of the United Nations Development Programme tweeted late on Saturday. “Fifty homes have been reported destroyed in the Navaga village in Koro Island.”

Virgin Australia has announced it will resume flights in and out of Nadi on Monday, while Jetstar and Fiji Airways have cancelled their scheduled flights.