Pacific Beat

Humanitarian organisations are urging people to donate responsibly in the wake of Cyclone Yasa, as some donations can actually hamper relief efforts and take much needed resources away from helping those on the ground who need urgent help.

As Cyclone Yasa moved closer thousands of Fijians sought shelter in evacuation centres around the country but for those living with disability it was an anxious choice on whether to stay at home or to seek shelter.

Cyclone Yasa made landfall in Fiji overnight destroying homes and crops but no casualties have been reported, disaster officials are now springing into action to help with recovery and will be supported by a network of volunteer groups who'll fan out across the country, and Fijians living in Australia worry that their families' efforts to recover from previous storms have been undone by Cyclone Yasa.

Fijians are making their last minute preparations ahead of the powerful Cyclone Yasa that's expected to hit later today and disaster authorities warn as many as 600,000 people will be in its direct path, more than 1000 evacuation centres have opened across Fiji and the country's Red Cross has concerns that some people are not moving fast enough to these safe places and Samoa's former Deputy PM, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, gives strongest indication yet that she is ready to join the main opposition party and challenge Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi at next year's general election.

Samoa's former Deputy PM, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, has given her strongest indication yet that she is ready to join the main opposition party and challenge Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi at next year's general election

Fijians are making last minute preparations ahead of the powerful Cyclone Yasa. It is expected to hit later today and disaster authorities have warned as many as 600,000 people will be in its direct path.

Weather experts say the situation is looking grim for Fiji as Cyclone Yasa intensifies into a category five storm, with warnings "settlements will be obliterated" and lives may well be lost.

Weather experts say the situation is looking grim for Fiji as Cyclone Yasa intensifies into a category five storm, with warnings "settlements will be obliterated" and lives may well be lost, questions are raised over the practice of 'political camping' as PNG MPs spend plenty of time and money in expensive hotels ahead of an expected vote of no confidence and Catholic priests in the Indonesian province of Papua join their Pacific colleagues in speaking out against the violence that continues in the region.

Catholic priests in the Indonesian province of Papua join their Pacific colleagues in speaking out against the violence that continues in the region.

Small Pacific islands could be among the first in the world to fully vaccinate their populations from COVID-19, with health authorities in Palau and American Samoa preparing to roll out vaccinations within weeks as part of the US Government's Operation Warp Speed, Fiji is being warned to keep alert as two separate cyclones are developing and we ask what impact the new travel bubble announcements could have on other parts of the Pacific.