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SUVA : At least three people were believed dead after Cyclone Mick swept over Fiji's main island of Viti Levu, causing widespread flooding and damage, police said Tuesday.
The cyclone was still causing gale-force winds in Fiji's Lau group of islands on Tuesday, a day after sweeping over Viti Levu, where extensive flooding was affecting many parts of the island.
Police said a 19-year-old man was reported to have been swept away while crossing a river in the Ra region in northern Viti Levu on Monday and a 23-year-old had drowned in the Sigatoka area in the southwest of the island.
A school student was also reported killed in the northwestern highlands region of the island when he was struck by a falling tree, police said.
As it crossed Viti Levu the cyclone was estimated near its centre to have average winds of 90 to 110 kilometres (56 miles to 68 miles) an hour, with gusts of up to 150 kilometres an hour, the Fiji Meteorological Service said.
Up to 700 people spent Monday night in evacuation centres due to flooding in low-lying areas.
Many roads remained closed Tuesday due to damage or lingering flood waters, police said.
A gale-force wind warning remained in force for the southern Lau group of islands Tuesday and a strong wind warning continued for the southeastern half of Viti Levu.
Cyclone Mick was estimated to have average winds of 80 kilometres an hour with gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour by Tuesday, the meteorological service said.
- AFP /ls
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