Tropical Cyclone Rae track map as of 24 February, 12pm Fiji time. Photo: Fiji Meteorological Service
Tropical Cyclone Rae is moving south-southwest towards Fiji's Southern Lau Group at about 15km/h.
Fiji's MetService has multiple warnings in place, including for heavy rain for the entire Fiji group.
All schools in the Lau Group, Lomaiviti, and Vanua Levu have been closed closed.
Fiji Airways' domestic carrier, Fiji Link, has advised customers that all flights to and from the Northern Division for Monday have been suspended until further notice.
The headman for Sawana village on Vanua Balavu in Lau, Fitunoa Mateaki, told RNZ Pacific on Monday morning that they were experiencing strong winds and a lot of trees had been uprooted.
"The whole village is full of debris, as the cyclone is passing by," he said.
"We have been going around the village informing everyone to prepare. Everyone has been tying up their houses, we are putting up our shutters, status"
"By three o'clock this morning, we started experiencing strong winds and rain until now."
He said the strength of Cyclone Rae is almost "three-quarters" of what they experienced during the destructive Cyclone Winston in 2015.
"The immediate action after the cyclone passes is to clean up starting tomorrow, to pick up things that can cause injuries to the villagers, and start rebuilding the farm, to replant all the food crops because we rely on that," Mateaki said.
He said Sawana villagers will need water and food because the farm they rely on has been completely damaged.
According to a fijivillage.com report, Tuvuca Village School, which is currently being used as an evacuation center, is sheltering about five families.
A teacher at the school, Mereseini Waqali Tabaiwalu, is urging the government to deliver food supplies to the island and housing assistance, as several houses have been destroyed.
Meanwhile, over in Tonga, their meteorological service says Rae lies to the west of Tonga waters, but damaging gale-force winds and swells will continue to affect western waters until Wednesday morning.
A tropical cyclone warning is in place for Vava'u, Ha'apai, Niuafo'ou, and Niuatoputapu.
A cyclone alert is in place for Tongatapu and 'Eua.
