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Article: Cyclone Daman, packing 250 kph winds, hits northern Fiji islands
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- December 7, 2007
- Author:
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A powerful cyclone packing wind gusts up to 250 kph (155 mph) pounded islands in northern Fiji on Friday, and officials feared many of the flimsy thatched homes of farmers and fishermen would be blown away.
Cyclone Daman was rated a Category 4 storm, expected to cause major flooding and serious damage in the South Pacific nation, senior forecaster Matt Boterhoven said.
People in the Lau, Lomaiviti and Vanua Levu island groups _ where many villagers live in houses made of thatch and palm fronds _ were advised to move from coastal areas to cyclone shelters and other secure buildings, Fiji Disaster Management Office director Joeli Rokovabe said.
"It's most likely going ...