Fiji

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.

They are helping the three Pacific countries battered by Cyclone Harold last week, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Fiji.

But the executive director of the Council of International Development, Josie Pagani, said that during the lockdown the charities aren't able to fundraise and the public can't donate.

She said the international aid charities typically get about two thirds of their revenue from public donations.

Cyclone Harold, the worst to hit Vanuatu since deadly Cyclone Pam in 2015, has wrecked around 70 percent of the buildings in Luganville, and much of the vegetation.

Over 1700 people remained in evacuation centres in Fiji today following the severe tropical cyclone.

The storm passed through the country last Tuesday and Wednesday as a category four system.

Most evacuees are in 29 shelters in the smaller islands of the Eastern Division where, last night, 1067 people remained.

Central and Western Divisions held 384 and 252 displaced people respectively between 32 shelters.

The Northern Division had been given the all-clear but remained under Covid-19 restrictions.

Ifereimi Waqainabete's comments came after reports that six families in the greater Suva area had refused screening procedures, including having their temperatures taken.

The minister said officials were returning to convince the families to be screened as part of a greater community programme which had involved more than 6,000 locals.

But Mr Waqainabete said ultimately, the families did not have a choice.

The category four storm caused widespread flooding and damage to homes across the country.

With the full extent of the damage yet to be determined, authorities are urging the public to remain indoors until given the all-clear.

Misa Funaki, of the Fiji Meteorological Service, said communication networks were down in the outer islands, including Kadavu, which felt the brunt of Harold.

"Reports are coming in on the devastation caused by Harold - not only on the main island of Viti Levu but moreso in the maritime islands of the Lomaiviti and Lau groups," he said.

However, there have been no fatalities recorded.  

Village headman, Jiuta Vodo said the destruction caused by TC Harold is worse than their experience with TC Winston in 2016.  

Vodo also said it was the first time for most elders to experience such a cyclone. 

“Nothing else is left in our plantation, all the root crops have been uprooted by the strong winds. We really need help. I am pleading with the government to help us now because we have nothing else left.” 

Nauru President Lionel Aingimea confirmed a Nauru Airlines charter flight will be flying home students and other Nauruans.

According to Mr Aingimea there was support from several people including Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor enabling Nauru Airlines to do the flight.

Nauruans students and families in Nadi, Lautoka and Sigatoka will be the first on the list.

Those in Suva will travel once a lockdown is lifted.

The students based in the West are now at Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi awaiting their flight.

At 9am today local time, Harold - a category four storm - was located just west of the main island Viti Levu.

Misa Funaki, of the Fiji Meteorological Service, said Harold is now trekking southeast and is expected to cause more damage.

Mr Funaki said a hurricane force wind warning remains for Kadavu and southern Lau while a strong wind warning is in force for the rest of the country.

"There have been reports from Yasawa of huge tidal waves there," he said.

"There have been structural damage and mass flooding in some areas.

The category 4 cyclone, with wind speeds of 170km/h and gusts of 240 km/h, is now in Fiji waters.

Mr Funaki told Fiji Village that the big the concern are the damaging winds and heavy rain.

He said there is also the concern of flash flooding of low-lying areas.

The hurricane forces winds can cause extensive roofing damage on small houses, extensive damages to doors and windows, low-lying escape routes cut off, extensive structural damage to houses, utility buildings, shrubs stripped.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) said it had activated the national emergency operations centre.

A cyclone alert remains in force for Yasawa, the Mamanuca Group, Viti Levu, Kadavu, Lomaiviti and Southern Lau.

On its projected track, Harold, currently a category five storm, was expected to lose strength but pass just south of Kadavu before moving towards southern Lau on Wednesday.

The NDMO urged families and communities to put into practice their disaster preparedness plans.