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Fiji's military government has threatened to arrest people on cyclone-struck streets after it extended its curfew until tomorrow morning.
Cyclone Tomas, a category four cyclone with winds exceeding 200km/h, has pummelled Fiji since the weekend, knocking out power, communications, roofs and trees.
One woman has been killed in the stormy seas.
Government spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Neumi Leweni said the military government was taking stringent measures so lives were not lost unnecessarily, Fijilive reported.
A curfew had been extended until at least 7am tomorrow in three districts which encompass Fiji's capital Suva, and its second-biggest island, Vanua Levu, which has been hit hard by the cyclone.
"We don't want to lose any lives just because of people's inability to heed the emergency warnings. It is for this reason that the police will now arrest those seen on the roads without an official pass," Mr Leweni said.
Curfews are in place in Fiji's northern, eastern and central divisions. Shops have been ordered to close immediately.
State of disaster
Earlier today a state of disaster was declared prime minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.
The Fiji Times reported at midday that the state of disaster declaration had been made by the National Disaster Council after a meeting chaired by Mr Bainimarama.
Military and naval personnel would be deployed as soon as possible to help relief efforts including provision of food and basic supplies, it said.
Fiji Red Cross disaster co-ordinator Vuli Gauna said a damage assessment had not yet been possible in hard-hit areas because communications were down and winds prevented planes from flying over for an aerial survey.
Contact had been lost with staff in northern Vanua Lenu and Taveuni since last night, Mr Gauna said.
The cyclone, whose winds exceeded 200km/h, could have jeopardised water supplies after causing widespread power outages, he said.
Eyewitness account
Local Neil Harrison said he could do little other than watch the huge swell in what he says is usually a calm and protected bay.
Mr Harrison is on Koro Island to the east of the main island of Viti Levu and he told NZPA today conditions after Cyclone Tomas struck in the last 24 hours were "shocking".
The small island has about 14 villages but Mr Harrison, a Scotsman who has lived there for four years, said because of the high winds and downed trees, he could not get out to check on his neighbours.
Wind gusts were reaching about 120km and he was thankful he had left his 14 metre, two-masted ketch in a protected harbour Savusavu on Vanua Levu.
"It is protected anchorage but it took a pretty big hit and all communications are down. I have just heard on the radio all of Savusavu is cut off. It is another thing to worry about."
Mr Harrison said the bay he was on was very protected unless there was a westerly wind.
"Right now I am looking at probably two metre waves coming in the bay."
He said he was unable to check on his neighbours.
"We can't go anywhere. There are a lot of trees down. I have tried to reach a couple of villages but we can't get hold of anyone."
Mr Harrison said the eye of the storm was about 150km from Koro Island.
"God knows what it is like in the middle. If we are 150km from this thing and we are copping what we are getting I really don't know what it is like under the eye. They will be getting twice this."
He said Fiji had had good warning about the cyclone.
"We have been watching it for about eight days building up," he said.
On some of the outer islands wind gusts were reaching 250kmh, and the storm was thought to be the worst to hit the islands for at least seven years.
Police reported one person, Tamarisi Tabua, had been swept away and killed in a sea surge. She had been taking part in a ceremony with her family at Labasa, on the northern island of Viti Levu, when she was swept into the sea.
Widespread damage has been reported on many of the outer islands but the main island of Viti Levu has so far escaped relatively unscathed.
More heavy seas and high winds were expected in the next 24 hours.
About 5000 people from Fiji's second-largest island Vanua Levu were taken to emergency centres from their homes yesterday.
Compounding the weather problems in the region was Tropical Cyclone Ului, which has pounded the Solomon Islands.
New Zealander reacts
Dean Innes, a New Zealand contractor who was installing electricity sub stations in Fiji, told NZPA he had moved to a hotel near Suva but conditions were not bad.
"It really like a bad winter's day in New Zealand.
"It is coming up over the stone wall, the waves, but it is nothing really."
In Lami Bay where the hotel was it was gusty and squally but there was little damage, although a boat had caught a rope around its propeller and had hit a restaurant on the waterfront.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade warning
Meanwhile the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) has advised New Zealanders in Fiji and the Solomon Islands to follow instructions issued by the local authorities, monitor local media reports and register their details.
As flights in and out of Fiji had been suspended due to the cyclone, travellers with immediate plans to travel to Fiji should check with their airline or travel agent, an Mfat spokesperson said.
There were about 480 New Zealanders registered with the ministry as being in Fiji and around 60 registered as being in Solomon Islands.
This morning Tomas was 240km east northeast of Suva, and was now passing over the low-lying Lau group.
Due to the effects of the storm, and problems with communications there were no official damage assessments yet from affected areas.
New Zealand had received no request for assistance, but stood ready to help the people of Fiji if required, the spokesperson said.
There have been no reports of injuries from Ului, but there had been some damage to buildings.
- with NZPA
