Torrential rains that resulted in flash flooding on parts of Fiji killed two people and caused all flights to be canceled at Nadi International Airport on Tuesday, as a category three cyclone neared the archipelago.
All schools across the nation were reported closed on Tuesday, according to the Fiji government’s Facebook page.
Radio New Zealand reported over 3,500 people were evacuated to dozens of emergency shelters, mainly in the north and west of the main island of Viti Levu. Nadi, on the west side of the island, received over 12 inches of rain through Sunday.
Fijian meteorologists expected wind speeds of up to around 90km/h (56 mph) inside the system. Tropical cyclone warnings have already been issued for Viti Levu and several nearby small islands.
Parts of the country are still recovering from the last cyclone, which killed 44 people in February.
Fiji Is battening down for another tropical storm, just weeks after the powerful super Cyclone Winston pic.twitter.com/95xslg8kGi
— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 6, 2016
At least 2 dead, Nadi International Airport closed as Fiji braces for Category 3 Cyclone Zena – One News NZ https://t.co/Uowbrjf7mV
— Breaking News Storm (@breakingstorm) April 6, 2016
(Image: Fijian Government/Facebook)