Devastating Aftermath Of Cyclone Winston In Fiji

The clean-up is just beginning for Fiji, after being slammed by a category 5 cyclone over the weekend.

Up to 10 people are believed dead and a further seven are missing at sea after Cyclone Winston struck, according to latest reports from the Fiji Broadcasting Service.

The new agency said the Government had confirmed 10 people had died in the western division as a result of the cyclone.

The national curfew will be lifted today and all public transport services will resume - but there is a lot of work to do.

Two of the dead drowned during storm surges and four were killed after being hit by flying debris.

One man died after his house collapsed on top of him.

The broadcasting service said seven of the dead were from Ra, one was from Nadi and one was from Lautoka.

Fears were held for seven fishermen from the Yasawa Islands who were reported missing at sea.

They had gone out on Friday and had not been heard from since.

More than 4000 people were staying in 68 evacuation centres throughout Fiji. 

Tourists and locals tried to stock up with supplies in advance. Windows were boarded up and foreigners hunkered down in hotel rooms. But the cyclone - with gusts reaching 325km/h - ploughed through, ripping roofs from buildings, tearing trees and power poles out of the ground and leaving a trail of destruction.

Lower Nadi town was last night closed due to extensive floodwaters and roads blocked by landslides.

An elderly man reportedly died on Koro Island when a roof fell on him but there are few details about the others who have died or how many have been injured.

- NZ Herald