Relief efforts in Fiji

On 17 March 2010 Fiji began relief efforts with the assistance of Australia and New Zealand after Cyclone Tomas devastated northern and eastern areas of the country. Fiji’s military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, stated that the damage is “overwhelming,” and emergency officials indicated that they had received unconfirmed reports of several deaths. Communications in the hardest hit areas of the country were still down on 17 March, and authorities have thus far been unable to assess the full extent of damage in the country.