FIJI – One person is reported dead and another missing in the heavy rain and flooding that has saturated Fiji over the past few days.

A tropical cyclone warning is now on for the whole of Fiji.

Evacuation centres put in place for Cyclone Winston have reopened around the islands as Cyclone Zena approaches.

Fiji Metservice said the category one cyclone was a fast-moving system and was intensifying with gale force winds expected to reach Fiji late yesterday afternoon or early evening.

A tropical gale force warning has been issued for the Yasawa and Mamanuca group, the whole of Viti Levu, Kadavu and the nearby small islands.

The western business and tourist centre of Nadi has been under metres of floodwaters since Monday and people throughout Fiji are bracing for more rain and high winds over the next 24 hours.

Police in Fiji are asking people not to risk their lives attempting to cross through Nadi Town, on the west of Viti Levu, as water levels remain too high for people to enter.

The town, in the main tourist area, is officially closed and people have been advised not to attempt to reach it.

The body of a 70-year-old man was was found Tuesday floating in the Sabeto River near Nadi. A search for a 19-year-old student is also underway in the same area.

The girl tried to swim across the river with three of her friends and failed to reach the other side of the river due to the strong current.

Nadi town is under lock down, inundated with water and closed to all traffic.

“People are being complacent and they are not listening to our advisories,” said west divisional planning officer Sitiveni Tavaga.

“We already have two casualties and we don’t want that number to increase.

Police were vigorously manning checkpoints at both ends of the town turning vehicles and people away.

Earlier, as news of anticipated flash flooding was broadcast across the country, Nadi’s business community took immediate action moving stock and equipment from the ground floor to elevated areas.

For many, the experiences of the 2009 and 2012 floods had made them more proactive in preparing for natural disasters such as the two tropical disturbances currently affecting the country.

Rakiraki Town was also inundated with floodwaters and was forced to close as river water forced its way into its business centre.

Meanwhile, there are emerging fears that the heavy rain and flooding in Fiji will heighten the risk of disease in remote villages.

Red Cross water, sanitation and hygiene specialist Ana Zarkovic said many village toilets and water systems were ruined by the cyclone, forcing people to go to the toilet in the open, which in turn polluted the rivers and streams.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has confirmed that there are 3600 people currently taking shelter in 77 evacuation centres around Fiji.

Nineteen evacuation centres have been activated in the Nadi area.

Meteorological Service acting director Misaeli Funaki said there was already flooding in the western and northern divisions, but flood warnings were now in effect for the whole country.

Funaki said the heavy rain was not expected to end soon.

“The whole system is anchored over Fiji, and this is going to be the case for the next few days. The trough will remain slow-moving over us and that will be dumping in more rain as we look ahead.”

He called for people not to be complacent as the category one cyclone began making its way towards Fiji.

“And it will bring in more rain and strong winds,” he said.

With more severe weather anticipated until Thursday, people have been urged to stock up with basic necessities in preparation for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Zena.

And if the outlook wasn’t dire enough, a third tropical disturbance, TD16F, has formed closer to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands and the system is expected to head towards Fiji, following the same track as Zena.

- PNC sources