Wellington  - More than 1,400 people have been evacuated from homes threatened by floodwaters in Fiji, where two men died crossing swollen rivers, according to reports Saturday from the capital Suva.

Several towns, including Nadi, site of the Pacific island country's international airport, are under water, and a nighttime curfew has been ordered in the area to protect shops and other businesses from looting.

The airport remained open, and police and soldiers were reported to be ferrying passengers to and from hotels in Nadi, but tourists were advised not to travel to Suva because the highway was flooded in several places, Radio New Zealand reported.

Forecasters said more heavy rain was expected throughout the weekend, and more people would have to be evacuated to schools as floodwaters continued to rise. (dpa)