SUVA, Fiji (Reuters) - Hundreds of people were homeless and three were missing on Wednesday after flash floods hit three coastal towns in Fiji, officials said.

Floods swamped the towns of Ba, Nadi and Lautoka on the northwest coast of Fiji's main island on Tuesday, sweeping away scores of makeshift homes built of wood and corrugated iron.

One woman was killed when her car was caught in floodwaters near the town of Ba. The woman's husband and son were able to swim to safety.

Six people were initially reported missing. Three people were found alive Wednesday, but an elderly woman and two young men are still missing.

A high tide and exceptionally heavy rainfall sent flash floodwaters sweeping through the area. "The ferocity of the floodwaters blew out shop display windows," one man from Ba town told reporters.

The Nadi Weather Center, the main weather station for the South Pacific, said Tuesday's downpour broke records with 391 millimeters (15.4 inches) of rain recorded in a 24-hour period at Lautoka City.

The area is Fiji's main sugar belt. Officials said flood damage would add to the economic hardship inflicted last year by a drought which devastated the sugar crop.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told reporters he would tour the area on Thursday.

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