Cyclone Pam has reached capital and is intensifying

The latest news I have from Radio NZ is that cyclone Pam is 180 km SE of capital, Port Vila, and INTENSIFYING, with gusts up to 380 km/hr (230 mph). Communications has been lost overall (is intermittent).

The worst of this is going to be that people will not only lose a roof over their head (and all their meagre possessions) but their crops will be destroyed.  This has already happened in Tuvalu, due to the storm surges.

Welcome to the Future

PS. - Meanwhile the headline at the top of the NZ Herald website is Bachelor producers' vetting failure let in convicted fraudster Danielle Le Gallais

Cyclone Pam hammers Vanuatu

Radio NZ,

14 March, 2015, 08:30 NZT

Tropical Cyclone Pam is edging closer to Vanuatu's capital, and there are already reports of deaths in the outer islands.

Cars going through floods at Manples, Port Vila

Photo: Mich McConell-Wilson

The category five cyclone has battered Vanuatu's northern provinces, however communication is down and the extent of the damage is not known.

Some news media are reporting gusts of up to 330 kilometres an hour and it is reported to be the strongest storm globally since 2013.

A satellite image of Cyclone Pam hitting Vanuatu.

Photo: AFP/ NASA

The gales extend up to 380 kilometres from the centre of the storm - slightly longer than the distance between Wellington and Taupo.

The centre of the cyclone is now about 30 kilometres to the east of Port Vila as it moves south southeast.

Residents in the capital are already reporting powerful winds and rough seas.

The Vanuatu Meteorological Service is forecasting very destructive hurricane-force winds as the storm moves past in the next six-to-12 hours.

It also warned of torrential rain, flash flooding and huge storm surges.

Unicef worker in Port Vila Alice Clements said they had already heard of some deaths.

"We have some very unconfirmed reports of casualties from the outer islands as well but we're waiting to get official confirmation on those, which is very sad news if it's true."

Up to 4000 people across Vanuatu have taken refuge in shelters like concrete churches and schools.

Expat New Zealander, Jeff Brown who has been sheltering in a concrete motel on the outskirts of Port Vila, said the roof ripped off his family's unit overnight, and forced them to flee.

Mr Brown said the worst of the storm had now passed, but at its height early this morning, the sound of the wind and rain was like very loud white noise.

"My house - I built it myself - I'm not sure it will withstand the force of the wind that is going to come, so we've moved into a motel in town which is a concrete structure."

The empty streets of Port Vila

Photo: Mich McConell-Wilson

Mr Brown said he could now see outside and the area around the motel is "one hell of a mess", with debris everywhere.

He said the motel was sheltered against a bank and others in lighter accommodation will have lost everything.

"My house - I built it myself - I'm not sure it will withstand the force of the wind that is going to come, so we've moved into a motel in town which is a concrete structure."

The empty streets of Port Vila

Photo: Mich McConell-Wilson

Metservice meteorologist Peter Little said it was impossible to guess how long the storm would continue to batter Vanuatu, but it was huge and had become so tightly wound that it will take many hours to unwind.

"At the moment it's moving southward over the island of Eromango and it's a very, very intense system, the eye is still very visible.

"So the wind near the centre likely to be about 250 kilometres and hour."

Mr Little said the storm was sending out huge wave surges in all directions which will travel a significant distance and affect several other countries, including New Zealand.

A spokesperson for the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office says Pam is expected to be worse than Cyclone Uma in 1987 - which killed 50 people.

The wind has picked up and waves are becoming huge swells.

Photo: Mich McConell-Wilson

The wind down at Pango Beach

Photo: Mich McConell-Wilson

Flooding in Tuvalu after Cyclone Pam.

Photo: Plan International Australia