International assistance pours in as Fiji's cyclone toll rises to 28

Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2016 shows a fallen tree in Suva, capital of Fiji, on Feb. 22. At least 20 people have been killed in Fiji after it was bashed by tropical cyclone Winston. (Xinhua/Michael Yang)

Death toll in Fiji from severe tropical cyclone Winston has risen to 28, the government-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation confirmed Tuesday.

Aside from the latest death toll, 21 people are suffering from serious injuries, said Akapusi Tuifagalele, director of Fiji's National Disaster Management Office.

The official death toll may further rise as police are trying to get confirmation on some reports of missing persons.

Over 8,400 people are living in evacuation centers around the country, Tuifagalele said.

Many people have been stranded and urgently need food and shelter in the aftermath of the severe tropical cyclone Winston, a category 5 one when it swept through Fiji last Saturday and left a path of destruction.

The Fijian government has been working to coordinate rescue and relief efforts, and has established bank accounts to receive financial donations to help those affected by Winston, considered the strongest tropical cyclone Fiji has ever met.

The United Nations has begun its assessment of the needs for international assistance to Fiji, and the UN's Pacific Humanitarian Team are reaching out to local authorities in a bid to determine what expertise and support are needed.

Meanwhile, several countries have reached out a helping hand to the Pacific island country.

Gu Yu, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Fiji handed over the Red Cross Society of China's emergency humanitarian aid of 100,000 U.S. dollars to the Fiji Red Cross Society on Monday afternoon.

Expressing heartfelt gratitude for the "timely donation", Cathy Wong, national president of the Fiji Red Cross Society said China is the first country to donate to the Fiji Red Cross Society.

A New Zealand Defence Force C-130 transport plane landed in Fiji late Monday, carrying relief supplies and joint team made up of military, fire service and health staff.

China's Ministry of Commerce has declared that it is working on a plan to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Fiji.

Both Australia and New Zealand have pledged to provide disaster relief fund to Fiji.

The United States Agency for International Development is providing an initial 100,000 U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for critical relief supplies and basic water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance to Fiji, according to the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.