Cyclone Tomas batters Fiji

Fiji continues to brace for massive winds and high sea surges for at least another 24 hours as Cyclone Tomas continues to slam the Pacific nation.

With winds reaching 250kmh, the category four storm is the most powerful to hit the area in seven years and has already battered outer islands, flattening houses, and killing at least one woman in a sea surge.

Tamarisi Tabua had been taking part in a ceremony with her family at Labasa, on the northern island of Viti Levu, when she was swept into the sea.

A Fiji police spokeswoman told NZPA the capital Suva had so far escaped the worst of the damage, but they were still bracing for the rest of the cyclone to hit, which was due to reach the area within the next 18 to 24 hours.

Strong winds were battering the area and a sea wall had been destroyed, she said.

About 5000 people from Fiji's second-largest island Vanua Levu had been evacuated to emergency centres from their homes, she said.

Fiji Tropical Cyclone Centre senior forecaster Matt Boterhoven told Radio New Zealand the epicentre of the storm was about 240km east from Suva.

It was moving through northern and eastern islands, which were not highly populated, but prone to flooding.

The cyclone was expected to leave the islands and head to the open ocean in about 24 hours, Mr Boterhoven said.

It could be up to 36 hours before sea swells calmed down, he said.

"That's going to be a real problem for the next day and a half."

Aid might not be able to reach some damaged islands until Thursday, he said.

The director of Fiji's disaster management centre, Pajiliai Dobui, said communication has been lost on islands including Taveuni and the Lau group, where the storm was headed.

Mr Doubi said officials would not know what damage had been caused there until Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Government has urged New Zealanders in Fiji to register with the High Commission in Suva.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday about 450 were registered, but there were likely to be others who had not.

Mr Key said the other storm hitting the Pacific, Cyclone Ului, had intensified to a category five storm and there had been reports of damage and flooding in the Solomon Islands region.

Anyone travelling to the affected areas should closely watch the Government's safe travel website, he said.