The destruction from cyclone Winston in Fiji is being described as a scene from the Syrian War.

Aid agencies have begun to reach even the most isolated villages and Unicef's Patrick Rose said sanitation specialists are moving in on the worst hit villages.

He said water and shelter is being prioritised and there's hope it'll be sorted within the next few days.

It's evident some Fijian villages are worse off than others after the category five storm which displaced 14,000 people and left 42 dead.

The cyclone swept houses into rubble on Saturday and extensive damage is being reported in villages on the Yasawa Islands, Koro Island and north-east Lau Islands.

New Zealand Herald reporter Anna Leask said the damage varies from village to village but a majority have been destroyed.

She said the village of Rakiraki is one of the worst hit areas, and "the damage there is phenomenal- every house there is damaged or flattened."

Unicef's Patrick Rose said they'll be opening temporary schools over the next week to create safer learning and playing zones.

He said after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu there was a huge surge in children getting hurt.

"They were playing in the rubble, and there was twisted iron and nails everywhere."

"One of the best ways to help kids recover is to get them back into school. That helps them to connect and make sense of what has happened to them."