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State of disaster: Cyclone Yasa, with potentially record-breaking strength and 16-metre swells, arrives at Fiji

Around 850,000 Fijians are in the direct path of the monster storm.

Fiji has declared a state of natural disaster as Category 5 Cyclone Yasa bears down on the nation.

Officials there say 95 per cent of the population — 850,000 Fijians — are in the direct path of Yasa, with sixteen metre waves predicted.

A nationwide curfew is in place until further notice as many roads have already been hit by flooding.

Police have been helping those around the coastline get to safety – there are 53 evacuation centres set up around the country.

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is warning his people are in for a rough night as the eye of the storm is expected to make landfall on Vanua Levu.

“Every one of us must treat these climate fuelled catastrophes with deadly seriousness – where flooding occurs do not enter the flood waters, keep your children out of harms way,” he said.

He says Cyclone Yasa is shaping up to surpass the record breaking strength of Cyclone Winston four years ago.

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