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Fiji opens evacuation centres as Cyclone Tino hits
SUVA, Fiji, Jan 17, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Fiji opened evacuation centres 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.
“I’m preparing to go to an evacuation centre soon with my family and wait
for the cyclone to pass,” Nischal Prasad, who lost his home in northern Vanua
Legu when Cyclone Sarai struck just after Christmas, told AFP.
“Sarai destroyed my house and almost left my family homeless. My daughters
had to hide under their bed from the strong winds. It was a scary
experience,” he said.
Russian tourist Inna Kostromina, 35, said she sought safety in Suva after
being told her island resort was in the path of the cyclone.
“We didn’t want to get stuck in there and with the authorities warning of
coastal flooding, anything can happen. So we decided to move to Suva for now.
I think we will be much safer here.”
Police said a man and his daughter, believed to be aged nine or 10, were
attempting to swim across a flooded river when they were caught in the strong
currents.
The incident happened on Thursday before the storm developed into a
tropical cyclone, but a police spokesman linked the tragedy to “heavy rain
brought about by the current weather system (which) raised the river level”.
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.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1010 hrs