Tropical Cyclone Tomas - Mar 2010

Cyclone Tomas, a Category 4 cyclone, struck the Fiji Islands on 15 March 2010, bringing destructive winds and heavy rains. The Government declared a state of disaster in the northern and eastern divisions of Fiji on 16 March 2010. Some 240 evacuation centres were opened in the affected divisions to shelter more than 17,000 evacuees. (IFRC, 17 Mar 2010)

In Wallis and Futuna, Cyclone Tomas damaged houses, schools and left 1,500 people without access to drinking water. It also destroyed 80 per cent of food crops in Futuna, and 50 per cent of food crops in Wallis. (Gov. of France, 17 Mar 2010 and Croix-Rouge Française, 19 Mar 2010)

In Fiji, two lives were lost, 649 houses were destroyed and 1,387 damaged. Seventy-two schools and various health facilities were damaged or destroyed. The agriculture sector suffered major damages. The Fiji National Disaster Management Officer estimated the total damages caused by Cyclone Tomas at almost US$43.6 million. (OCHA, 12 Apr 2010)