Fiji counts cost of 'vicious' cyclone

The Sigatoka River, where a young man was swept away by strong currents caused by Cyclone Mick. Photo / Supplied

Wellington, Dec 15 NZPA - Fiji will today start cleaning up and counting the cost after Cyclone Mick swept across the Pacific nation yesterday.

Two people are confirmed dead, two more are thought to be dead, several are missing, and thousands are homeless.

The category 2 cyclone, Fiji's first this summer, ripped through the most populated island Viti Levu last night and is now headed towards Tonga, which is on alert.

Fiji's National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has set up temporary shelters and has been waiting for daylight in order to make an accurate assessment of the damage.

The NDMO confirmed that a class eight student from Drala village in the Nadarivatu highlands died instantly when a tree fell on him.

Two others who went fishing still had not returned home as expected.

In Sigatoka, on the west coast of Viti Levu, a young man was swept away by strong currents while trying to cross the Sigatoka River late yesterday, the Fijilive news website reported.

"He was returning from a farm with others when the incident happened. We believe he has drowned," said NDMO official Taniela Wacokecoke.

Mick was a "very vicious" cyclone, which moved quickly and struck up to six hours earlier than expected, catching many people unprepared, said Suva-based Tim Sutton, of the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).

"There's a lot of damage. Lots of trees down, power lines down everywhere, all the roads around Viti Levu are still closed with flooding and landslides. It's pretty major and Fiji hasn't got the strongest economy at the moment."

The west coast of the island bore the brunt of the storm but very few places escaped unscathed.

Mr Sutton said Fiji's disaster management teams were very well organised but the early arrival of the storm meant many people had not evacuated in time.

Cyclone Mick moved off Fiji early today, leaving behind damaged houses and schools, flooded homes, uprooted trees and disruptions to roads, bridges and water and power supply.

A full assessment of the damage is expected later today.

As Tonga could be the next Pacific Island nation to feel the brunt of the cyclone, an alert is now in place for Tongatapu, Ha'apai, and the Eua group.

Cyclone Mick is expected to reach Tonga in the next 24-48 hours.

- NZPA