Nauru is in the grip of a medical emergency after a fire destroyed all of the island’s medical supplies and damaged the main hospital.

There are no reports of anyone hurt in the fire, but it comes in the midst of a gastroenteritis outbreak, with as many as 100 asylum seekers suffering the illness.

Nauru government spokeswoman Joanna Olsson says, “It sounds like it's electrical. The first few people on site, which were the hospital staff, tried to put the fire out, but by that time it had already travelled through the ceiling.”

The pharmacy, medical stores, medical records and x-ray facilities have all been destroyed.  Olsson says Nauru business and civic leaders are reaching out to friends in Australia for help restocking the lost supplies.

Last month, a riot at the detention centre on the island caused an estimated $60 million worth of damage.