The Associated Press
Tuesday, January 29, 2008; 4:08 AM

SUVA, Fiji -- A powerful cyclone pounded Fiji, killing six people,
blowing the roofs off hundreds of houses and cutting power to the
country's main islands, officials said Tuesday.

The six died on the main island of Viti Levu, police spokesman Cpl.
Suliano Devida said.

Hundreds of people were moved to government shelters and schools as they
fled their damaged houses and flooding caused by driving rain and winds
gusting up to 88 miles per hour overnight Monday, emergency services said.

Tropical Cyclone Gene toppled electrical supply lines, cutting power
late Monday to the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, the
electricity authority said. Power had been restored to much of Fiji
except for suburban areas of the capital, Suva, by Tuesday, it said.

Fiji's Disaster Management Office reported widespread damage in western
Viti Levu, where hundreds of houses lost their roofs.

Two electrical linesmen were killed when they were hit by falling
high-voltage power lines near the western town of Lautoka, the Fiji
Electricity Authority said.

One person drowned in a swollen creek in Suva, another died when a
candle used during the power outage set fire to a house, and a woman
died of injuries sustained during the storm, Devida said. Another victim
was killed while fishing off Viti Levu, he added.

The cyclone was packing sustained winds of up to 60 mph as it passed
southwest of Viti Levu early Tuesday.

Forecaster Robin Alipati said heavy rains over the next 24 hours were
expected to cause flooding in Viti Levu and in island groups off the coast.

The storm was moving slowly westward Tuesday away from Fiji toward
Vanuatu, where a cyclone alert was issued.

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