Heavy flooding hits Fiji in wake of killer storm

[senorpepr]

SUVA (AFP) - Fiji, still reeling from a severe storm that killed at least eight people last week, was struggling to cope as heavy flooding again hit wide areas of the island nation, local media were reporting.

Heavy rain, around 100 millimetres (0.4 inches) an hour, was falling over a wide area of the country and already the capital Suva was isolated from the rest of the country and several major river systems have burst their banks.

Radio Fiji reported that the picturesque first capital of the country, Levuka, was flooded. Villagers west of Suva were being evacuated.

Early reports say the town of Navua on the main highway was among the worst affected and a major evacuation effort was underway.

Unconfirmed reports say a large number of people are trapped on a bridge over the heavily flooded Navua River.

So far there have been no reports of death or injury.

Last Thursday a severe storm hit the northern area of Viti Levu leaving a confirmed eight people dead. Nine other people are still missing.

The town worst hit last week, Rakiraki, north of here, was again suffering from flooding.

Fiji, between New Zealand and Hawaii, is an archipelago with a population of 845,000 people.

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