Cyclone forces Fiji evacuation
SUVA, Fiji (AFP) — Fiji opened evacuation centers and warned of “destructive force winds” Friday as a cyclone bore down on the Pacific island nation for the second time in three weeks.
Two people were missing after attempting to swim across a swollen river late Thursday when heavy rain fell ahead of the advancing Cyclone Tino, police said.
On the outer islands, locals prepared to go to emergency shelters while many tourists fled beach resorts and made their way to the capital Suva before regional flights and inter-island ferry services were suspended.
The Fiji Meteorological Service said Tino was strengthening as it headed for Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu, warning of wind gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour (80 mph), heavy rain, coastal flooding and flash flooding in low lying areas.
Locals prepared to go to emergency shelters while many tourists fled beach resorts and made their way to the capital Suva before regional flights and inter-island ferry services were suspended.
Although the Pacific islands are popular tourist destinations in summer it is also the cyclone season, and Fiji is being targeted for the second time in three weeks.
In late December, Tropical Cyclone Sarai left two people dead and more than 2,500 needing emergency shelter as it damaged houses, crops and trees and cut electricity supplies.
On its present track, Tino would hit Tongatapu, the main island of neighbouring Tonga, on the weekend.
Two years ago, Tongatapu was hit by Cyclone Gina, with two people killed and nearly 200 houses destroyed.