A powerful cyclone battered the northern shores of the South Pacific island nation of Fiji, but the islands where most of the tourism infrastructure is located were relatively unscathed, Tourism Fiji reported.
Cyclone Tomas struck Fiji late Friday, yielding gusts of up to 175 mph. For more than three days, it blasted through the northern Lau and Lomaiviti island groups and the northern coast of the country’s second-biggest island, Vanua Levu, before losing strength as it moved out to sea Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
All storm and strong-wind warnings for Fiji have been canceled, Matt Boterhoven, senior forecaster at Fiji's Tropical Cyclone Center, told the AP on Wednesday.
The bulk of the country’s tourism industry, located on Fiji’s main island Viti Levu, and its offshore islands, Mamanuca and Yasawa, is fully operational and was unaffected by the cyclone, Tourism Fiji said in a statement on Wednesday.
Tourism Fiji reported that interisland ferries between Mamanuca and Yasawa, including South Sea Cruises, have resumed operations. Captain Cook Cruises resumed sailings on Tuesday, and Blue Lagoon Cruises is expected to resume sailings on Thursday. Captain Cook and Blue Lagoon operate overnight passenger cruises from Viti Levu to Mamanuca and Yasawa.
Domestic carrier Pacific Sun has resumed daily air service between the cities of Nadi and Suva on Viti Levu.
The northern and eastern regions of Fiji, hit hardest by the cyclone, have been declared a disaster zone. Some power and phone lines in those areas are still out. A state of emergency will remain in effect for 30 days in the country's northern and eastern divisions.
Flights to the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni are on hold while local aviation authorities assess possible damage to runways and airport terminals.
