3 Apr 2012

Fiji military goverment says it's not known how many haven't been reached

6:58 pm on 3 April 2012

A spokesperson for Fiji's military government says it is unclear how many people couldn't be reached in villages cut off by severe flooding.

The Disaster Management Office says the death toll stands at five after the severe flooding which stranded some residents in the Western Division, but the regime's spokesperson says six people have died.

Up to 8,000 people remain in evacuation centres.

The Permanent Secretary for Information, Sharon Smith-Johns, says a massive clean up operation is underway in many affected areas.

But she says it isn't known how many people haven't yet been reached.

"We don't have a clear indication of that. As the roads open we get through. We know the people in remote areas, they watch the weather, the rivers will rise and they'll go to high ground, a lot of them already live on high ground. Some of it is just getting an access road to get through and it's getting those access roads opened."

Sharon Smith-Johns says the priority is clearing roads and connecting electricity and water.