SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS
29 Canadians believed in cyclone zone
The Department of Foreign Affairs says it’s believed 29 Canadian citizens are in areas of the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu that have been affected by cyclone Pam.
The United Nations says that 24 people are confirmed dead and 3,300 have been displaced by the cyclone.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says radio and telephone communications with outer islands have not yet been established two days after what the country’s president called a “monster” storm.
Foreign Affairs says its office in Canberra, Australia and the Australian High Commission in Port Vila are providing assistance to Canadian citizens in Vanuatu affected by the storm.
Those bodies and the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa have been attempting to reach Canadians known to be in the region, and Foreign Affairs says consular officials in Canberra will continue those efforts.
The UN said basic emergency rations are being provided to evacuees, sheltering in 37 evacuation centres on the main island of Efate and in the provinces of Torba and Penama.
Military aircraft from New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand have been conducting aerial assessments of the damage. The latest report came as Vanuatu’s president rushed back to his country, which has repeatedly warned it is already suffering devastating effects from climate change with coastal areas being washed away.
“Climate change is contributing to the disasters in Vanuatu,” Baldwin Lonsdale said.
“We see the level of sea rise. Change in weather patterns. This year, we have heavy rain more than every year.”
Friends and relatives concerned about Canadian citizens they believe to be in the affected area should contact Foreign Affairs.
Vanuatu has a population of 267,000 people spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital.