People in Fiji are being warned the window of opportunity to prepare to be hit by the powerful Cyclone Yasa is closing.
Evacuation centres have opened with the category five storm expected to make landfall tonight.
At least 600,000 people lie in the path the cyclone which packs winds gusting up to 345km/h.
The Director of the National Disaster Office, Vasiti Soko, said the people should either move into evacuation centres or secure their homes and clear loose items in their surroundings.
Soko warns the winds would be destructive
"It's strong enough to uproot trees, it's strong enough to uproot buildings, those that are not well secured, and therefore it can also cause a lot of flying debris."
On its current track, Cyclone Yasa is expected to move between the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu tonight.
However the Steven Meke, a forecaster from Fiji's Meterlogical Service, said impacts were already starting to be felt.
"We have reports from the Yasawas that they are getting some damaging gale force winds. Also from Vanua Levu, the other large island of Fiji, as of last night they have reported that they have continuous heavy rain and some damaging gale force winds."
Meke said the winds were starting to pick up over the Western half of Fiji.
As of yesterday people had started moving into evacuation centres but more were being encouraged to do so.
"Time is limited now as severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa narrows in on Fiji," Meke said.
"We've been telling them [the public] this is one of those tropical cyclones, especially when it comes from the northwest, it brings in all these damaging storm surges as well."
The forecaster said the impacts could be similar to the 2016 Cyclone Winston which killed 44 people, flattened villages and caused hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage.