PM in cycloneravaged Vanuatu declares state of emergency
Port Vila: A state of emergency has been declared for areas of Vanuatu impacted most by severe tropical cyclone Judy. It comes as the country deals with a second cyclone, called Kevin, which is bearing down on the country.
At 2am local time the now category 3 cyclone was about 165km south-west of Santo and 225km west north-west of Malekula.
Red alerts are in place for Sanma, Malampa, and Penama, with damaging gale force winds expected to affect those provinces within the next 12 hours.
Yellow alerts are in place for Torba and Shefa. Meanwhile, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake has struck just offshore of Vanuatu.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports the quake struck just after 5am local time, and was 10km deep.
No tsunami warning has been issued.
Action plan announced by PM
Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau said declaring a state of emergency will allow the islands most affected by Judy to receive help immediately.
“I am pleased to announce that the Council of Ministers has met this afternoon (Thursday) and it has approved a request from the National Disaster Committee to ask the President of the Republic of Vanuatu to declare a State of Emergency for the islands that have been highly affected and impacted by Tropical Cyclone Judy - effective this evening.
“We have had two opportunities to meet with our partners and I am pleased to reveal everyone that has approached us are standing by to assist us in regard to conducting assessments and a quick response and whatever we require them to help us with.
“Therefore, on behalf of the people of Vanuatu and the Government, I want to say to all these people thank you so much. To all our development partners who even as the Tropical Cyclone [Judy] started to approach us had already reached out and said they were standing by and ready to assist us.
“Our officials are working around the clock to try and assess the impact of the cylone [Judy] on all the provinces in the country. At this stage they are still compiling an official report that we will be able to work with and which will enable our development partners to appreciate the level of assistance that we will require from them.
“As we speak aerial assessments are being undertaken along with other assessments on the ground to enable us to declare disaster zones in areas that are highly affected.”