TC Harold leaves one dead, dozens injured and more than 2000 homes destroyed in Fiji

More details about the extent of the damage caused by Cyclone Harold last week in Fiji are emerging as relief supplies and food rations reach the worst-hit areas in the country.

According to the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) one person was killed and 26 others injured by the category four cyclone which also destroyed more than 2000 homes.

The NDMO director Vasiti Soko said TC Harold forced hundreds of families to flee their homes with over 1500 people still sheltering in evacuation centres across Fiji's central, eastern and western divisions.

Ms Soko said relief teams were distributing food, shelter kits and medical supplies while continuing their disaster assessments in the remote islands.

"In the Lau group, 109 houses were destroyed and 68 partly-damaged. In Kadavu, 167 homes were destroyed while 331 suffered some damage," Vasiti Soko said, "And in the western division, 228 houses were destroyed and 1164 partly damaged," she said.

Vasiti Soko said farms and food gardens in these areas also suffered extensive damage.

Also, about 60 schools in Fiji have been damaged by Cyclone Harold according to the Ministry of Education which said it was working on response plans for the repair and rebuild.

Officials are also assessing damage to classrooms and teachers' quarters in the outer islands.