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Category 4 Cyclone Tomas continues to affect Fiji after a night battering the island. ADRA the Adventist Development and Relief Agency Fiji has been on high alert through the night and this morning ADRA Country Director Save Cavalevu along with field staff have begun a rapid assessment of the situation after the curfew was lifted at 8am.
The Disaster Management Council (DISMAC) has requested that ADRA be on standby for an immediate food distribution following the rapid assessment and it is anticipated that more people will be affected in the second largest island (Vanua Levu). ADRA will partner with DISMAC and the Seventh-day Adventist church network of volunteers in the North to assist in relief food distribution should there be a need.
Close to its centre, Tomas was estimated to have average winds of 175 kilometres per hour that increased to 200 kilometres per hour through the night with momentary gusts up to 270 kilometres per hour.
Radio stations and newspapers are frequently issuing updates of the current weather situation and lists of evacuation centers that have been activated. Safety messages from the DISMAC Office are also being broadcast to keep the public updated.
Close to 6000 people have taken shelter through the night at evacuation centers in the Northern, Central and Eastern division.
All schools remain closed today until further notice and all civil servants, except those in essential services, will also remain home today. Educational, financial institutions and business houses are announcing that they will be closed from Monday 15/03 until further notice as well.
The Fiji Prime Minister has also given a directive that DISMAC is to try and use as few schools as possible as evacuation centers to ensure classes can resume as soon as Hurricane Tomas leaves the Fiji waters.
ADRA New Zealand is in regular communication with ADRA Fiji and will post updates to our website www.adra.org.nz
ADRA the Adventist Development and Relief Agency is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
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