KEY POINTS:
Seven people are feared dead in Fiji and thousands have been evacuated as severe storms bring widespread flooding to the Pacific Island country.
Tourists in the popular resort area of Denarau Island were trapped after the only road to the airport was inundated, and people in low-lying areas were advised to move to higher ground as rivers burst their banks.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs fielded one call from a New Zealander wanting advice, but issued a warning on its www.safetravel.govt.nz website that more flooding was expected later in the week.
A state of emergency has been issued in Fiji and at least seven people are dead and about 9400 evacuated, Radio New Zealand reported this morning.
In the flood-ravaged towns of Nadi, Ba and Sigatoka, police imposed a curfew to curb looting and ensure public safety after heavy rain and flooding over the past four days.
"There is no power in the main town business district and other areas like Narewa Village where 15 to 20 houses are under water," Nadi Mayor Timoci Koroiqica told the FijiLive website.
Ba Mayor Pravin Bala said the town was under more than 1m of water at high tide.
"Police are now monitoring movement in the town area and trying to restrict people from coming into town because one life has been lost already and we don't want that to be repeated."
Fiji's National Disaster Management Centre reported at least 1150 people had been evacuated from their homes.
But the authority today said the water was receding in some areas.
In a written statement, disaster management officer Aisea Quminakelo said in other areas rivers were reportedly rising and would reach "critical level" this afternoon.
"Those living in low lying areas have been forewarned to evacuate to higher grounds or seek shelter at nearby evacuation centres," Mr Quminakelo said.
He said in the west, Laselase village in Nadroga was underwater and all residents had been evacuated to higher round.
Mr Quminakelo said areas in central Fiji had also been flooded and evacuated, while in the north, water levels had receded.
"The Nadi Weather Office has again warned that the situation may worsen by next week as another tropical Depression is likely to approach Fiji by next Wednesday bringing stronger winds and heavy rainfall," he said.
Hundreds of New Zealanders on holiday have been affected by the flooding but were not believed to be in any danger.
Dunedin couple Nick and Trish Giblin, their three children and a friend were supposed to leave the soaked country early yesterday morning.
However, the deluge saw their flight cancelled and their attempts to get across the main island of Viti Levu thwarted, Mrs Giblin told NZPA.
The family had been staying on outer island Nananu-I-Ra for about a month when the storm hit. They were able to make it back to the Nadi on Friday when there was a lull in the weather.
But their taxi trip to one of the main towns, Ba, had to be abandoned due to the high floodwaters.
The family and four others were forced to stay the night at the taxi driver's house.
On Saturday they almost made it to Ba, but had to wait for five hours next to a raging river.
"There were no police, no army, there was absolutely no one who offered help or advice to the 40 cars waiting with us," Mrs Giblin said.
She said after a back road was cleared they were able to reach Ba 3km away but it still took about 40 minutes and three tows by a 4WD.
She said they arrived to "a terrible mess".
"People were standing outside their shops with all their products covered in mud. It looked very sad really."
Locals had told her it was the biggest flood to hit the island in living memory.
The family were now waiting for flights to leave Fiji.
House of Travel spokesman Brent Thomas said 600 New Zealanders were stuck in their resorts by closed roads and cancelled transport from smaller Fijian islands. They were expecting another 500 tourists to visit Fiji this week.
"Although this is traditionally a low season for Fiji tourism because of the rain, quite a few New Zealanders were still on the New Year holiday," he said.
"Until the weather pattern changes on the island, nothing is happening - they are stuck in their resorts."
Mr Thomas said tourists might have to wait a few days to get home because of the missed flights backlog.
He said New Zealanders were not at risk in the flooded streets, only inconvenienced.
House of Travel was not dissuading tourists from visiting at this stage, because flights into Fiji were not disrupted.
The Fiji Meteorological Service warned of further heavy rain and strong winds for the northern parts of the country but said conditions would gradually improve elsewhere.
The Fiji Village website reported searchers had found the body of a 19-year-old youth and were still looking for two girls believed dead after being caught in a landslide.
In Ba, a 31-year-old man died after he was washed away by strong currents and searches were under way for at least two others swept away elsewhere in flood waters.
Flooding in Nadi and Ba is the worst for 10 years.
