Cyclone devastates Pacific’s Vanuatu
SUVA (AFP) — A terrifying tropical cyclone which smashed into Vanuatu in the South Pacific left “complete devastation,” with fears Saturday that dozens may have died in what may be one of the region’s worst weather disasters.
The full extent of the damage is unknown, with limited communications in place after Super Cyclone Pam, a maximum category five storm, slammed directly into the island country late Friday with gusts up to 320 kilometers an hour.
The UN had unconfirmed reports of 44 people killed in one province.
“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,” UNICEF New Zealand’s executive director Vivien Maidaborn said in a statement.
“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.”
Residents of the capital Port Vila spent the night bunkering down as the terrifying storm raged, waking to find trees had been uprooted, homes destroyed and areas flooded.
“The scene here this morning is complete devastation — houses are destroyed, trees are down, roads are blocked and people are wandering the streets looking for help,” said Save the Children’s Tom Skirrow, speaking from Port Vila.
“We could see some loss of life, potentially serious loss but we don’t know yet,” Sune Gudnitz, who heads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Pacific, told AFP.
“The feedback is that there appears to be quite widespread devastation. There is debris in the streets and widespread flooding,” Guditz said.