The FINANCIAL -- At least one person has been killed and thousands have been evacuated as a cyclone has hit French Polynesia, according to Euronews television channel.

Weather men said Cyclone Oli that struck late on February 3 was the worst to have hit Polynesia over the past five years.

Local authorities advised residents on February 5 to stay indoors as winds of up to 200km per hour raged in the archipelago, including the popular holiday island of Tahiti, according to RIA Novosti.

Though a red alert has now been called off, schools, roads, Airport s and harbors remain closed and travel is banned on several islands, except for emergency services, the TV channel said.

A spokesperson for the Tahiti tourist board told mail.online that none of more than 650 tourists currently visiting had been injured.

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