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.
