Islands count cost as Tomas moves off

Still from video shot in Fiji as Cyclone Tomas hit at Suva Point. Photo / Supplied

Tropical Cyclone Tomas yesterday continued blowing itself out along the eastern section of Fiji, as residents in the north of the nation counted the cost of the storm.

Fijian authorities announced a state of emergency in the north and east, the Fiji Times Online reported.

It came with the extension of a curfew in three districts, encompassing Fiji's capital, Suva, and its second-biggest island, Vanua Levu, which has been hit hard by the cyclone. It was expected to remain in force until 7am today.

Tomas was last evening holding its category four status, with estimated average winds of 170km/h, and gusts of up to 270km/h. It was expected to be lying 300km southeast of Suva by 10pm last night.

More than 18,000 people are now in evacuation centres - predominantly in the north.

"I think some lost their lives but it is just a few, but what we have been hearing from some of the islands is the devastation and the wind and the storm surges were too much," Fiji National Disaster Management Office director Pajiliai Dobui said yesterday.

Fiji Red Cross spokesman Vuli Gauna said emergency services would first concentrate on getting any help required to those trapped or injured in islands to the north of Vanua Levu.

However, rescue personnel were hampered by strong wind and storm warnings, which remained in place around much of the country.

Red Cross teams in five northern centres were preparing to mobilise, and the organisation was in contact with its Australian and New Zealand counterparts, Mr Gauna said.

Staff at the Nukubati Resort on Vanua Levu - who on Monday night barricaded themselves into stormproof buildings - were yesterday relieved the storm passed over without causing damage.

Employee Asena Steiner said the resort was fortunate that a mountain range had spared it from the worst of the cyclone and damage had been limited to "a few leaves and a few twigs".

"[Today] there's a very beautiful breeze coming in from the west. It is as if nothing happened."

As those in the north began damage assessments, Tomas rounded on eastern Fiji and a number of low-lying outer islands.

Prime Minister John Key said New Zealand was on stand-by to help.

In the Solomon Islands - which endured a battering from category five tropical cyclone Ului - locals also had a lucky escape.

While many provinces were at risk of flooding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported there had been only informal reports of damage and no reports of casualties.

Cyclone Ului was yesterday moving southwest away from the Solomons, and weakening in intensity. It was expected to continue moving slowly toward the Queensland coast.

There was no indication the Solomons would require New Zealand aid or assistance. About 480 New Zealanders are registered with the ministry as being in Fiji, with 60-odd registered in the Solomon Islands.

Islands in the southwest of the Fiji group were expected to be the last to feel Tomas' wrath as the storm moved across the Southern Lau Group yesterday afternoon.

Around 11,000 people live in the group, and winds of up to 175km/h were expected to cause significant damage to crops and infrastructure.

The cyclone was expected to start moving away from the islands about midnight.

Commercial flights into Fiji resumed yesterday morning.