Fiji hit by ‘strongest ever’ cyclone, nationwide curfew declared

[rooster59]

Fiji hit by ‘strongest ever’ cyclone, nationwide curfew declared

Fiji declared a nationwide curfew on Saturday (January 20), as airlines suspended flights and the prime minister warned people to seek refuge from a cyclone that could prove to be the Pacific island nation’s most powerful on record.

After twice hammering outlying islands in nearby Tonga last week, Cyclone Winston re-intensified and began to track west towards Suva, the capital of Fiji, packing winds of 230 km per hour, with gusts of up to 325 kph.

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama urged Fijians to prepare themselves for a “terrible event”, Australian broadcaster ABC reported.

“We cannot afford to be complacent,” it quoted the prime minister as saying. “And I am especially concerned that some people in urban areas do not appear to have heeded the warnings about the seriousness of the threat.”

A nationwide curfew has been imposed, the government said on social media website Facebook.

“A total public curfew will take effect across the country today from 6.00 p.m.,” it added. It issued a list of 758 evacuation centres across the nation of just under 900,000 people.

As Fiji’s weather service warned people in the east to “expect very destructive hurricane-force winds,” Suva resident Alice Clements said the power had failed just after 5.00 p.m. and she expected water supplies to be hit next.

“I have palm trees flying all around me at the moment,” Clements, an official with a UN agency, told Reuters news agency.

Airlines Virgin and Jetstar suspended flights into and out of Fiji’s international airport at Nadi, while the national carrier suspended all flights.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-21

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Fiji begins assessing damage after ferocious cyclone

NICK PERRY, Associated Press


WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Residents of Fiji were beginning to clean up and assess the damage Sunday after a ferocious cyclone tore through the Pacific island chain overnight.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities, although aid workers said it would take at least a day to establish communications with some of the smaller islands that were directly in Cyclone Winston's path. There were widespread reports of damage, with many homes and crops destroyed.

Authorities were urging people to remain indoors as they cleared fallen trees and power lines. They said all schools would be closed for a week to allow time for the cleanup.

On Saturday, the government imposed a nationwide curfew and declared a 30-day state of natural disaster, giving extra powers to police to arrest people without a warrant in the interest of public safety.

Wind speeds from Cyclone Winston were estimated at up to 285 kilometers (177 miles) per hour. The cyclone moved westward overnight along the northern coast of the main island, Viti Levu, before continuing out to sea.

Fiji's capital, Suva, located in the southern part of the main island, was not directly in the cyclone's path and avoided the worst of its destructive power.

"Truth be told, we've gotten off pretty lightly here in the capital," said Alice Clements, a spokeswoman for the aid agency UNICEF who lies in Suva. "It was still a pretty awful night. You could hear crashing trees and power lines, and popping rivets as roofs got lifted and ripped out."

She said there's foliage everywhere which looks like it has been put through a blender.

Clements said there's real concern for the welfare of people on the northern part of the main island and smaller islands elsewhere. She said many would have lost their homes and livelihoods.

She said the Fijian government is responding quickly by clearing vital roads.

Flights to Fiji were canceled on Saturday and Clements said some tourist resorts on the outer islands may have suffered damage.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama wrote on social media that the island's evacuation centers were operational and that the government was prepared to deal with a potential crisis.

"As a nation, we are facing an ordeal of the most grievous kind," he wrote. "We must stick together as a people and look after each other."

Fiji is home to about 900,000 people.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-21

[Catoni]

The statement "Fiji hit by 'strongest ever' cyclone..." is a lie. Plain and simple.

[Loser 1]

Wonderful people. BULA!!. And may they all be safe..... They need all the help they can get!