More than 18,000 people remain in evacuation centers after tropical cyclone Keni hits Fiji

NADI, FIJI, April 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 18,000 people are still staying at evacuation centers in Fiji after tropical cyclone Keni hit the South Pacific Island state with heavy rain and destructive winds on Tuesday.

Announcing this on Wednesday, Fiji's National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) said that most of the evacuees are in the centers in the western part of the nation and the evacuees will only return to their homes when it is safe.

Anare Leweniqila, director of NDMO, said that the impact of tropical cyclone Keni on Fiji is still unknown and their focus right now is to provide emergency services to the affected people.

The damage assessments are currently underway in the western part and other affected areas of the island nation. It is reported that NDMO hopes to send out a plane to conduct an assessment of damage to Kadavu and Ono-i-lau islands.

Fiji's Kadavu Island has suffered a direct hit and devastation to homes and plantation from tropical cyclone Keni with its highly destructive winds wiping out homes, uprooting trees and capsizing boats on the south side of the island.

Keni also caused the death of one man in Ba, a town in western Fiji while trying to secure his house with blocks and falling off his roof at the height of the heavy rain and winds.

Currently, 90 roads across Fiji remain closed due to damage caused by heavy rain and flooding while all schools in the western part and Kadavu island that are being used as evacuation centers are also closed.

Keni is the second tropical cyclone to hit Fiji in just over a week after tropical cyclone Josie caused six deaths over the Easter long weekend. Enditem