NADI, Fiji, April 2, 2012 (From AFP) - Fiji struggled Monday with devastating floods that have brought the country and its tourist industry to a standstill as authorities warned that conditions could worsen with a cyclone bearing down. Cyclone Daphne is expected to compound the damage in the South Pacific nation, where a state of emergency is in force and flash floods have claimed at least three lives and forced 8,000 people to seek refuge in evacuation centres. The Fiji Meteorological Service warned of an approaching cyclone and said more flooding on the main island of Viti Levu, where both Suva and Nadi are located, was expected. It forecast "damaging gale-force winds" with gusts up to 110 kilometres (68 miles) per hour and "severe flooding of major rivers, streams and low-lying areas including sea flooding of low-lying coastal areas".

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