Tourists flee as floods hit Fiji
A TROPICAL storm that has inundated Fiji, causing devastating floods and leaving Australian tourists stranded, is likely to intensify into a cyclone, the nation's meteorological service has warned.
The Fijian government said a tropical depression about 1200 kilometres west-north-west of Nadi, on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, was moving south-east about 25km/h and was expected to intensify and could become a tropical cyclone in the next 24 to 36 hours.
Australia has pledged to provide whatever assistance is needed to to its Pacific neighbour, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr, said yesterday.
About 1400 Australians were registered in Fiji, although there were expected to be more who were not registered, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said this morning.
DFAT was in contact with some Australians stranded in Fiji and the government would continue to provide support to Australians affected, he said, adding that the department was in regular contact with DISMAC, Fiji's National Disaster Management Office.
Read more at Brisbane Times
