This is terrible....wanted to get this at the top of myats so keep the updates coming guys. GJ breaking the news.

my thoughts are with those going through this hardship

lets hope things turn out to be not as bad as it seems.

Don't worry Fiji I'm sure Australia has your back.

I sure hope those things don't come this way. We really don't need any more rain right now.

Most businesses around the country will remain closed tomorrow including universities and schools, many schools have been opened as evacuation centers, they are planning on opening more evacuation centers. There will be a curfew in central and eastern division starting at 8pm localtime tonight (in about 30 minutes).

Currently the exact extent of the damage is unkown but most of it is in the smaller Islands and in Vanualevu (Labasa).

Latest Update: 8pm
FEA shut off the electricity in Savusavu and Labasa because of fallen power lines. Places in Labasa are also without water, people fijiwide have been adviced to fill water.

Taveuni Hospital has lost its roof, Another health center was closed because its generator shed was blown away. The number of people in evacuation centres has exceeded 6000.
The hurricane has started affecting the Northern division. Many places are flooded in Vanualevu and some islands have been reported to have major damage. Flooding could occur in northern division at any time as rivers are rising faster than predicted. The hurricane will probably start directly affecting the central and eastern part soon. The worst point is that this hurricane is moving very very slowly (5 to 10km/hour). At this rate any one place continually experiences the full brunt of the hurricane for up to 15 hours.

[edit on 15-3-2010 by kaleshchand]

man the paper says its a cat 5, wonder if it got downgraded or upgraded?

It has weakened somewhat in the last few hours but we are anticipating it will reintensify, possibly into a category five again, early tomorrow but it will still be well offshore."

up down up .....up?

The hurricane has now passed, with a few outer lying Islands still in its path. There has been much damage in many places, 10000+ people in evacuation centres. A state of emergency has been declared in Northern and Eastern part of the country, which will remain in effect for next 30 days. DISMAC and other groups are already accessing damage and relevant authorities are attempting to restore power and water. All in all as a country there isn't as much damage as the last hurricane, but in some communities there is much more.

Thousands have fled to evacuation centres and communications have been lost as Cyclone Tomas continues to rage through parts of Fiji. Winds averaging 175 kilometres per hour and torrential rain have hit the northern islands.

A journalist at Fiji Broadcasting Commission Ritika Pratat says they do not have a clear idea of the damage in that northern area, but says they are still experiencing heavy rain and strong winds. She says there are reports of flooding in the outer smaller islands, but people have been moved to higher ground or are safe in evacuation centres.

Ms Pratat says around 10,000 people are filling the almost 180 evacuation centres around Fiji.

A change in direction for the fierce cyclone means the main island of Fiji looks like it may have a lucky escape. Cyclone Tomas began moving south last night, with a group of south-eastern islands in its path. Still rated a category four cyclone, it is likely to cause extreme damage in those areas.

Weather Watch head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the new direction means Suva and Nadi will be spared any major damage. He says he would be surprised if there was anything too drastic happening on the main island of Fiji, apart from a stormy day that should not be too different from other stormy days.

Mr Duncan says once it moves over these islands Tomas will hit cooler waters, and he expects it will die out very quickly over the next day or so.