.. Photo: Supplied/Save the Children
The scale of destruction across Fiji is slowly becoming apparent as Cyclone Yasa moves southeast.
The powerful Cyclone Yasa, which has devastated parts of the country, has been downgraded to a category three storm but still packs gusts of up to 195 km/hr.
Thousands of people have fled their homes as authorities begin to assess the damage to properties and livestock.
Houses have been flattened, power lines brought down and crops destroyed after winds of up to 345 km/hr hitting the area overnight.
More than 23,000 people remain in evacuation centres however there have been no reports of caualties but assessment teams are still to get to affected areas.
A former journalist living in Labasa, Lusi Banuve, said people were wary of the threat of flooding, even after the cyclone moved from the area.
She said residents had woken up to a completely different landscape with powerlines and trees down.
Although Yasa had moved to the southeast and been downgraded Banuve said people were still dealing with its impacts.
"Roofs have been blown off, structures have collapsed in and right now the worry is the flooding because of the high tide and when rainwater collected on the mountains come down low, there is always flooding in this area.
"So people are just preparing for that. As they clean up, they are mindful because the rain keeps coming."
As the storm moves to the southeast it is expected to threaten the Southern Lau groups and then Tonga over the weekend.
Tonga has issued cyclone warnings with Yasa expected to sweep to the southwest of the country late tomorrow.
NGOs and agencies ready to assist
International NGOs and aid agencies say they stand ready to assist Fiji following the devastation caused by Cyclone Yasa overnight.
Save the Children New Zealand said children are at their most vulnerable when disasters strikes.
Its director Jacqui Southey said they would work with the Fijian authorities to help relieve the suffering of children affected by cyclone yasa.
Southey said they would also ensure children were healthy, protected and had the opportunity to learn even during disasters such as cyclones.
"What happens when we have these disasters is that they affect the food chain," she said.
"And so crops can be uprooted, flooded, damaged, destroyed with the scarcity of drinking water.
"What we do is work with the governments here in NZ and in the Pacific such as Fiji so that when a disaster hits, we are ready to go."
.. Photo: Supplied/Save the Children
UNICEF offer assistance
Meanwhile, the United Nations children's agency said they would also work with the Fiji government, civil society groups and other aid partners to assist wherever is needed.
UNICEF's Pacific Representative, Sheldon Yett, said this was to ensure that clean water, and emergency health and education supplies were provided for children in affected communities.
"Supplies like essential water, sanitation and hygiene items, including soap, water containers and buckets, to ensure children and families have access to clean drinking water as well as emergency health and midwifery kits, including basic drugs, medical supplies and equipment, are prepositioned and ready to be distributed to those most in need.
"In addition, UNICEF is ready to support communities by providing tents, and basic supplies to support learning needs and help children to regain a sense of normalcy as soon as possible after the disaster."
Save the Children said another thing they would try to do was "build back better".
Jacqui Southey said this included building more secure homes so that they are less likely to be extremely damaged or completely damaged that we've seen in previous cyclones.
Winston, a similar magnitude storm as Yasa, left 44 people dead, tens of thousands homeless and millions of dollars damage in 2016.
And in April, amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Fiji was hit with a category-five cyclone Harold which killed one man.
.. Photo: Supplied/Save the Children
