The cyclone on Wednesday was upgraded to a category five, the highest possible, with winds at its centre gusting as high as 315km/h.
It is still intensifying, forecasters said, and by the time it reached Fiji's main islands late on Thursday or early on Friday, it would likely be much stronger.
Its projected path would take it right over the two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, and disaster authorities were planning for as many as 600,000 people - 66 percent of the population - to be affected.