Twenty-one people have been confirmed dead with four still missing at sea after Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston ravaged through Fiji on Sunday.
National Disaster Manager Office Director, Akapusi Tuifagalele, says the figures could change as the assessment and rehabilitation continues.
He adds it is tough for his team to get in touch parts of Fiji that has been ravaged by the Cyclone because of the absence of communication.
The category five storms have been described as the biggest and is now the third most deadly according to the number of people dead.
Category 3 Cyclone Eric of 1985, which directly hit Suva, killed 25 while in 1993, Cyclone Kina, which was a Category 2, killed 23.
Colorado State University Scientist, Doctor Phil Klotzbach says Winston not only the first Category 5 to hit Fiji but also became the strongest cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere.
Meanwhile, 8438 people are currently in evacuation centers around the country.
