Fiji death toll from Winston rises to 42

The death toll in Fiji from Cyclone Winston has risen to 42 according to national disaster authorities.

The death toll is expected to increase as remote areas of the country believed to have been hard hit by the category 5 storm have yet to be contacted.

Fiji Village reports more than 13,000 people are currently sheltering at 274 evacuation centres around the country.

About 64 schools have been badly damaged and the number is expected to increase further.

The director of Fiji's disaster management office said people who needed food and water after cyclone Winston should go to evacuation centres.

People in rural areas have complained that government relief supplies have not yet reached them, four days after the storm hit.

But Akapusi Tuifagalele said distributing aid on a house-to-house basis was logistically too difficult, and if people need food and water they should go to evacuation centres.

"It is a centre that will allow the ease of access for those who are actually affected. We have evacuation centres available that they can go to so that they can be assisted from there for the time being before they go back to their respective homes, eh."