Fiji cyclone toll hits to 17

The death toll from Cyclone Winston, which tore through Fiji on the weekend, has risen to at least 17. As authorities continued to assess the damage, Australia announced five million dollars in emergency aid for the cyclone-ravaged country. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said food and medical supplies would be rapidly distributed to those affected. Australia is also offering a P-3 Orion



aircraft to survey the destruction, as well as a number of rescue helicopters. The UN's humanitarian agency said 150 homes were destroyed in the Eastern Division, while other reports said as many as 680 properties were destroyed in the Western Division. At its strongest, the cyclone was generating winds of up to 330 kilometres per hour with average wind speeds of 220 kilometres per hour.