| Situation Update No. 4 Ref.no.: TC-20100314-25326-FJI
Situation Update No. 4
On 2010-03-15 at 05:13:15 [UTC]
Event: Tropical Storm
Location: Fiji Fiji-wide
Number of Deads: 1 person(s)
Number of Evacuated: 5000 person(s)
Situation: There are unconfirmed reports of deaths in Fiji, as Cyclone Tomas moves through the northern part of the island group. At least 5,000 people are sheltering in up to 40 evacuation centres ahead of the main force of the cyclone, which is expected to pass close to the capital Suva tomorrow morning. Disaster Management official Anthony Blake told Newstalk ZB trees were down, power is out in some areas and there are reports of damage to houses and a kindergarten on one of the islands in the far north of the country. Officials are trying to verify the reports of injuries and fatalities. Cyclone Tomas, with gusts up to 270km/h causing chaotic seas that have already claimed one life, has been called the worst in at least 20 years. Tourism Fiji said Air New Zealand and V-Australia had cancelled all Fiji services until further notice and Air Pacific said it would postpone flights to Fiji ex-Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney until Tuesday. More than 100 evacuation centres have been set up throughout Fiji, and police, military, fire services and the Red Cross have been scrambling to get the message out. Red Cross disaster co-ordinator Vuli Gauna said Fiji had not seen a cyclone so strong get so close in at least 20 years, and people were bracing for the unexpected. People in coastal and low-lying areas had been urged to pack two days of supplies and find shelter in evacuation centres, where they were expected to stay overnight, Mr Gauna said. More evacuation centres were still getting set up as the category four Cyclone today struck Fiji's second-biggest island, Vanua Levu. Fiji's Meteorological Service has issued warnings of thunderstorms, phenomenal seas, heavy swells, flooding and destructive hurricane force winds, with gusts up to 270km/h. |
22:13 | 
Publicado por
NEWS
