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Fiji’s disaster management agency DISMAC says reports are coming in of extensive damage to houses and schools in the Lau group.
"We have identified the need for shelter - big marquee for schools damaged to put up and continue with classes until we repair schools,” said DISMAC operations officer Anthony Blake.
Blake said DISMAC is now focusing on the parts of Fiji hit hardest by Cyclone Tomas which include Cikobia, Taveuni, the eastern and northern groups as well as the Lomaiviti and Lau groups.
The number of people in evacuation centres has also dropped in the northern division with 10,000 people now in more than 100 evacuation centres.
Divisional commissioners have also been asked to move evacuees from schools to other locations such as community halls.
Blake said DISMAC expects preliminary information from the assessment teams that have been dispatched.
"We rather have accurate information - reports we’re getting from the ground is of extensive damages so we want figures that would support the survey. By the end of today, all the evacuation centres would be closed,” he said.
