'Bored' Kiwi tourists help Fijians rebuild village

Cyclone Tomas hits Fiji

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Kiwi tourists are pitching in to help clear debris and erect shelters on a cyclone-devastated island in Fiji.

The Fiji Disaster Management Office says at least six people are dead after the category four Cyclone Tomas struck the north and eastern parts of the country on Monday.

Hundreds of houses have been knocked down, with more than 12,000 people still sheltering in evacuation centres. But rescuers have yet to reach several islands in the cyclone's path, and fear a possible typhoid outbreak.

A New Zealand Air Force Hercules dropped emergency supplies into Vanua Levu yesterday – where a state of disaster remains in place – and flew a three-hour reconnaissance flight over other affected areas. Squadron Leader Kavae Tamariki said villages looked as if they had been hit hard, with many houses collapsed or without roofs.

Five Kiwis hunkered down at a resort on Qamea as the island was hit by 200kmh-plus winds. They managed to call home by satellite phone yesterday.

Resort co-owner Ron Eckstrom said they were safe, but trees all over the island had been knocked down and villages housing more than 5000 people were shattered. "There are two villages near us and one of them only has four houses standing. There's about 200 people living there.

"Two of our guests are Waikato farmers, from Te Awamutu, who had been there a few days and were getting bored. They're out there helping chop up fallen trees and we're just trying to set up shelters for the villagers."

Despite having food and drinking water and there being no reports of serious injury among the villagers, Mr Eckstrom did not have much faith in outside rescuers. "You can't wait for the government because that will never happen."

According to Unicef, as many as 130,000 people may have been affected by Tomas, and another 5000 by the category four cyclone Ului, which hit the Solomon Islands around the same time.

Communication with parts of Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Cikobia Islands is still down and aid workers are yet to reach the battered Lau Island group. Red Cross spokesman Vuli Gauna said it was vital that fresh water was available to stop typhoid.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully pledged $1 million in aid to Fiji yesterday.

- By MICHAEL FORBES and BRITTON BROUN

- © Fairfax NZ News