Cyclone Pam update - 03/13/2015

Cyclone Pam hits Vanuatu: Death tally begins

At least eight people have been confirmed dead after a cyclone devastated Vanuatu, according to a senior aid agency official.

Stuff,

14 March, 2015

Another 20 had been confirmed injured, Save the Children's country director Tom Skirrow told Reuters by telephone from Port Vila, saying the figure came from the country's National Disaster Management Office and was based on reports from hospitals and paramedic services.

As relief organisations scramble to assist cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu, Super Tropical Cyclone Pam looks to be one of the worst disasters to have ever hit the Pacific, a United Nations agency says.

One of many houses that lost their roofs in Vanuatu after the cyclone.

350 Pacific / Facebook

One of many houses that lost their roofs in Vanuatu after the cyclone.

UNICEF spokeswoman Alice Clements said from Port Vila on Saturday the full force of Pam was "dramatically worse" than had been initially predicted. Port Vila, on Efate's west coast, was reported to be without power or running water, with debris lining the streets.

"This will most certainly be a catastrophe for the people of Vanuatu," she said.

"I saw the sliding doors from my three-storey hotel room completely blow away - it was terrifying."

Graham Crumb/UNICEF

The damage in Port Vila after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu.

Graham Crumb/UNICEF

The damage in Port Vila after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu.

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There were also unconfirmed reports of casualties from the outer islands.

UNICEF New Zealand executive director Vivien Maidaborn said: "While it is to

There were also unconfirmed reports of casualties from the outer islands.

UNICEF New Zealand executive director Vivien Maidaborn said: "While it is too early to say for certain, early reports are indicating that this weather disaster could potentially be one of the worst in Pacific history.

"The sheer force of the storm combined with communities just not set up to withstand it, could have devastating results for thousands across the region."

Nasa satellite imagery shows the eye of the category 5 cyclone just northwest of the island of Aneityum.

The agency was working with the National Disaster Management offices in Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands to offer support, particularly in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, health, education and protection.

"We currently have our UNICEF children's emergency fund open and we will remain in close contact with Pacific governments in order to provide additional support should it be called upon," Maidaborn said.

The cyclone scored a direct hit on the islands of Tanna, Erromango and Aneityum, and grazed the east coast of Efate.

A "provocative" forecast by Fiji's meteorological service, right, shows Cyclone Pam passing by the North Island as a Category 4 storm. The official forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, left, has Pam passing further from NZ.

iCyclone / Facebook

A "provocative" forecast by Fiji's meteorological service, right, shows Cyclone Pam passing by the North Island as a Category 4 storm. The official forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, left, has Pam passing further from NZ.

SEASONAL WORKERS IN NZ "DESPERATE FOR INFORMATION"

More than 650 people from Vanuatu resident in New Zealand are being looked after by a co-operative which provides seasonal workers for the horticulture and viticulture industries.

"We spoke with our people in Vanuatu last night and they were safe and well," Seasonal Solutions chief executive Greg Watson said.

"They had spent the last couple of days boarding up their houses and the office, and had taken their families inland to stay with relatives. It's the workers here in New Zealand who are desperate for information, and we are doing everything we can to support them."

Seasonal Solutions has established a fund to allow its members to provide further financial support to the workers and their families.

Some workers have already said they wished to return home.

A forecast map issued at 9.11am NZ time shows the path of Cyclone Pam.

meteo.gov.vu

"But with no flights running currently, and the only likelihood of any flights in the next few days being aid flights, all they can do is sit tight and wait. It is a very stressful time for these men."

Each year the seasonal workers from Vanuatu spend up to seven months in New Zealand between October and May.

"UNBELIEVABLE DESTRUCTION"

From Vanuatu, the Australian Red Cross tweeted that workers on the ground have reported "unbelievable destruction".

"We're extremely concerned for safety and well-being of tens of thousands of people across Vanuatu."

"Moments like these…our efforts are put to the test," local Red Cross CEO Jacqueline de Gailande said.

The Australian Government had arranged to do a flyover as soon as the weather allowed.

The New Zealand Air Force also had a C-130 plane to be deployed tomorrow morning, which would be used to transport supplies such as food, water, 200 first aid kits and 1300 tarpaulin.

The death toll was still uncertain but widespread casualties were feared. One person was confirmed dead in Papua New Guinea, where the storm passed earlier, Reuters reported.

WHOLE VILLAGES FLATTENED

Chloe Morrison, a World Vision emergency communications officer who is in Port Vila, told The Associated Press that the capital's streets were littered with roofs blown from homes, uprooted trees and downed power lines. She said she's hearing reports of entire villages being destroyed in more remote areas.

She said there is no power or running water in the capital and that communication remains unreliable.

"It's still really quite dangerous outside. Most people are still hunkering down," she said. "The damage is quite extensive in Port Vila but there are so many more vulnerable islands. I can't even imagine what it's like in those vulnerable communities."

The New Zealand High Commission in Port Vila, which is supposed to be cyclone-proof, had been been damaged "very badly", said Red Cross Pacific regional head Aurelia Balpe from in Fij.

Sune Gudnitz, the regional head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told Reuters from Fiji that Vanuatu was vulnerable because of its position in the middle of the ocean.

"We fear the worst," he said. "It is possible that there will be a death toll that could be high. I can't give any numbers. I think it is a well-grounded fear."

Earlier on Saturday the eastern eye of the storm passed directly over the island of Tanna - population 30,000 - battering it with catastrophic wind gusts of 300kmh winds, FiJi's NaDraki Weather reported.

The lightly populated islands of Erromango and Aneityum - population about 3000 total - had taken a direct hit from the storm, which had also severely lashed the east coast of the island of Efate.

"Shutters blown away and trees downed. And we are indescribably lucky compared to most," wrote the administrator of Humans of Vanuatu on his Facebook page.

At midday, NZ time, the eye of the storm was moving south of Aneityum, into the ocean between Vanuatu and New Zealand, although the southern Vanuatu islands would still be experiencing gale force winds.

The storm had missed Fiji and Tuvalu and was expected to diminish in power as it moves south - but still should cause severe gales and rain on the North Island late Sunday and Monday, along with extremely large seas about the east coast.

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Unicef spokesperson Alice Clements told Radio New Zealand the storm had gone on for longer than expected.

"It was 15-30 minutes of absolute terror for everybody in this country."

Others described their fear on social media.

"Just got a text from a friend an hour ago in Malapoa, his roof has gone is being flooded and is burying himself in the mud under the foundations to try and stay put," wrote Megan William on Facebook.

"Folks, I'll be honest. It's really bad out there," Humans of Vanuatu wrote at the height of the storm. "The wind is howling with a deep roar that just doesn't let up. Anyone not in shelter now is in mortal danger. Frankly, I don't think our country will make it through this without some deep scars."

"We have family that are hiding out in the main Cathedral in Port Vila. We last heard from them at midnight Vila time. They said the wind was really really strong and that water was coming inside. They said they thought they were safe there though," wrote Katrina Meredith on Facebook.

'SIGNIFICANT EVENT'

The Category 5 storm was expected to weaken but still hit New Zealand's North Island as a "significant event" on Monday and Tuesday.

In New Caledonia, the islands of Ouvea, Lifou, Tadine were also under a cyclone warning and were experiencing high winds - but the storm was expected to miss them as it churned southeast.

In New Zealand, around 200mm of rain was expected to accumulate Sunday and Monday in the ranges of Gisborne, northern Hawke's Bay and eastern Bay of Plenty, with lesser amounts near the coast.

"Rivers and streams in these areas will rise rapidly and localised surface flooding and slips are likely as well as hazardous driving conditions," MetService's warning said.

Severe southeast gales were likely about Gisborne and Bay of Plenty on Monday, with gusts of 120km in places, and 160kmh or more about the eastern Bay of Plenty.

"Winds of this strength are likely to cause damage to trees and powerlines and could lift roofs and make for hazardous driving conditons."

Gisborne Civil Defence emergency manager Richard Steele said an emergency operation centre was being established for the region and would likely be fully activated around 5am on Monday.

Rotary New Zealand said it had 600 emergency response kits on standby for immediate dispatch to affected areas in Vanuatu.

Disaster response practitioners were also on standby to go to Vanuatu to assist.

The charity was appealing for funds to help families rebuild their homes and re-establish vegetable gardens in addition to health and education issues.

'There's debris everywhere, buildings are destroyed' - Dozens feared dead after monstrous Cyclone Pam makes direct hit on Vanuatu

This report from earlier in the day gives a good sense of the impact of the cyclone on Vanuatu.

No one ever, however, makes any mention of the elephant in the room - abrupt climate change.