CANBERRA, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Up to six people may have been killed in violent pro-democracy riots in Tonga, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Friday.

"Five or possibly six people appear to have been killed," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio from Vietnam, where he is attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

Downer said the situation was serious, and Australia and New Zealand had troops and police on standby to fly to Tonga, but Tongan authorities have said they can control the situation. He said one report from Australia's High Commission in Tonga estimated 80 percent of businesses in the central business district in Nuku'alofa had been destroyed. ((Reporting by James Grubel, editing by John Chalmers; james.grubel@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: james.grubel.reuters.com@reuters.net, +612 6273 2730))

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