Fiji

Fijian officials said Friday there are currently 59,000 people in 275 evacuation centres. The death toll now remains at 44 including two people still missing.

The damage bill after various assessments of the damage in Fiji has already reached $650 million, the government says

In his letter, the Hon Pohiva said:

“I would like to express on behalf of the Government and People of the Kingdom of Tonga, our sincerest condolences and extend our deepest sympathies to all the victims and families affected by the unrelenting Tropical Cyclone Winston over the weekend.

Spokesperson Ewan Perrin said that number continued to rise as communication was restored to affected areas.

Mr Perrin said, at this stage, there was enough aid in the evacuation centres to go around.

Melino Maka is chair of the Tongan Advisory Council and is part of the Red Cross Pacific team.

Mr Maka said the large Pacific community in Auckland can't understand why they were not able to send private contributions of aid on the two naval vessels being sent to Fiji.

A spokesperson, Ewan Perrin, said the number has jumped from 20,000 yesterday as communication has been restored to affected areas.

Mr Perrin said in the western division, there are about 22,000 people being housed in evacuation centres, and in the central division, about 16,000.

Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Fiji, Mr. Darren McLean says an early response is needed to help our country get back on its feet in this time of crisis.

The death toll from Saturday's category five cyclone stood at 29 on Tuesday, with more than 13,000 people believed to be sheltering in evacuation centres.

With assessment teams still working to reach badly-hit outer islands that number was likely to grow - with surveillance flights already revealing a grim picture of vast devastation.

ANZ CEO Pacific & CEO Fiji Vishnu Mohan said: “This is one of the worst cyclones to hit Fiji destroying many towns and villages as well as damaging vital infrastructure. It will take a long time for Fiji to fully recover from this disaster and we want our customers to know that we are here ready to support them.”

ANZ’s customer assistance package includes:

• suspension of all home loan, personal loan and small loan repayments for 60 days;

More than 2000 families have been affected losing everything when Cyclone Winston hit the island on Saturday.

Currently, Fiji Military personnel are loading emergency supplies for the island.

Military personnel have been deployed for eight days on the island.

Meanwhile, Fiji's regional partner countries say they'll be guided by Suva over how best they can provide help in the wake of Cyclone Winston.

The most powerful storm in the country's recorded history barreled into the Fiji mainland and neighbouring smaller islands late on Saturday destroying entire villages, flooding low-lying areas, and wiping out crops.

A New Zealand Defence Force Orion has been helping with aerial surveillance of the outer islands of Koro, Lau, Taveuni and Rabi.

Melanie Ogle, a New Zealander with Red Cross in Suva says Fiji Red Cross is a strong organisation and is already responding to the damage caused by Cyclone Winston. 

“Over 300 Fiji Red Cross staff and volunteers of have so far been mobilised to support at-risk communities and people in evacuation centres. Volunteers are trained in emergency response and propositioned relief aid was on hand.”

Red Cross has enough emergency relief stock prepositioned across Fiji to support 12,500 people.