damage

Flooding damaged infrastructure, including American Samoa's main airport, and resorts in the Cook Islands. Some domestic flights were stopped in French Polynesia.

American Samoa declared a state of emergency over the weekend after large swells caused flooding including at the airport.

Nevertheless, a wave alert remains in place in the Cook Islands and could peak at up to 4.5 metres on Wednesday afternoon local time.

The cyclone was a category two when it tore through the French territory.

The territory's south in particular experienced bad weather.

The system passed close to the capital Noumea, as well as the Isle of Pines.

Journalist, Andre Qaeze, said the cyclone caused flooding, felled trees, and damaged homes as well as buildings in the territory.

Cyclone Lucas has now been downgraded to a tropical low.

Photo source Chave Weather 

The NDMO Director Anare Leweniqila says 804 houses have been damaged, 201 of which were fully destroyed.

Mr Leweniqila said 104 evacuation centers remain active with 803 evacuees.

He said the relief and recovery phase continued in Kadavu with assessment teams to work through the 75 villages in the area by the end of the week.

FBC news reported the collective cost of damage for the Western and Northern Divisions was expected to be finalised by Friday.

All flights into Auckland Airport are being diverted because of debris on the main runway caused by strong winds.

The airport said flights were either being returned to their originating airport or Christchurch.

There is no estimated time for when the runway will reopen, it said.

MetService said the winds have eased but would remain strong overnight in Auckland, Coromandel and Waikato.

Civil Defence said it was not activating or mobilising but were standing by to monitor the response.

Some people have accused the vandals of having nothing better to do, while others speculated the attacks were politically motivated.

A full length hoarding that stretched across Vuna Road was pulled down.

It was advertising Tongatapu 3 candidate Katalina Tohi, who supports caretaker Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva.

The hoarding was installed close to Princess Pilolevu Tuita’s residence in Fasimoeafi.

Unconfirmed reports say the structure was removed because it was not safe for traffic.

Ravikesh Reddy of Subrails Furniture Centre in Lautoka said it would take until next year to get back to normal trading and the business will probably make a huge loss this year.

He said customers are coming in to buy replacement furniture for belongings damaged by the bad weather and spending is being boosted by the Fiji National Provident Fund cyclone assistance which people have been getting.

The category three cyclone was about 300 kilometres east north east of Vava'u and a similar distance to the southeast of Niuatoputapu earlier this afternoon.

Winds gusting up to 185 kilometres an hour are expected at the centre of the cyclone.