8 Feb 2005

Three days for Rarotonga clean-up, says Cooks Tourism Minister

8:10 am on 8 February 2005

The Cook Islands' Tourism Minister says it will take up to three days for clean-up work in the aftermath of Cyclone Meena.

Meena didn't hit the island group as hard as expected, although it did cut power, swamp coastal buildings and bring down trees.

No one's been reported injured.

The tourism minister, Piho Rua, says that flights into the islands have resumed, and telecommunications lines are running as normal.

"There's not a sign of wind, everything is quiet and people have got this relief on their faces, that things are over; we hope. But we're still in the hurricane season, but I doubt very much if we'll be battered by another one."

Piho Rua says repair work to roads could be completed in the next few weeks.