Severe storms and flooding in Fiji have forced thousands of villagers from their homes and stranded hundreds of foreign tourists on the Pacific Island nation.

Government officials on Sunday declared a state of emergency in the hardest hit western districts, home to many of the country's tourist resorts.

Four days of torrential rains have flooded the towns of Nadi, Ba, Sigatoka and Labasa and many rural villages on Viti Levu, sending roughly 6,000 people into shelters.

At least eight people have died, including six who drowned in floods and two who were killed by landslides.

Tourists have spent days at airports trying to get flights out of Fiji, including hundreds of Australians.

Fiji's head of tourism, Patrick Wong, told the Fiji Times newspaper that some tourists were taken across flooded roads by boat Sunday so they could get to the airport to catch international flights.

Jane Bullock of Brisbane said she has barely left her hotel in three days and that food is being rationed. Phone lines have been cut and tourists are becoming increasingly upset, she said.

"There are a lot of distressed people, there are people with small children, there are families who have been here for a week and are running out of funds," she said.

"It's scary stuff, and there's more than a mild panic setting in."

Bullock said Australia's government should organize flights to take stranded tourists home.

German tourist Chrishan Breyer told the Fiji Times he is frustrated with the service at Nadi airport.

"This is my first trip to Fiji and will probably be my last. All flights are fully booked and for this week as there is only one flight a day bound for Sydney," he told the people.

"The airlines are just trying to board the passengers who have been stranded and should have flown out of the country since last Friday. I am expected to fly out on Jan. 31 but I want to go back early."

New Zealand has donated close to $60,000 US to the Fiji Red Cross to help buy tarpaulins and medical supplies.

With files from the Associated Press, Australian Broadcasting Corporation