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Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) says it expects the northern Lau group to be the worst hit from Cyclone Tomas based on initial reports of damage.
The NDMO says more than 300 houses and 20 schools are reported damaged in the eastern division.
A situation report released by the office says numbers are expected to increase as teams currently touring the Lau group and the eastern parts of Vanua Levu gather information.
The report notes that 20 houses are damaged in Nairai, 30 in Gau, three in Batiki, 15 in Cicia and 246 in Vanuabalavu.
Teams are currently on naval vessels in the Lomaiviti and Lau groups while another has arrived in the eastern areas of Vanua Levu. These were the worst hit areas as they fell directly in the path of Cyclone Tomas.
Numbers are yet to be confirmed from other badly-hit islands including Yacata, Taveuni, Cikobia, the central Lau group and southern Lau.
The NDMO says reports have begun coming in from the northern and central divisions.
In terms of agriculture, the report said that the most damage to root crops had been in the northern and eastern divisions whereas little damage had been recorded in the central and western divisions.
