Islanders now face shortage of food and supplies
TANNA, Vanuatu: Residents of the southern Vanuatu island of Tanna said they were running out of food and basic supplies yesterday, after a huge cyclone tore across the South Pacific nation wreaking widespread devastation but not the heavy death toll initially feared.
Relief workers were still battling to reach many of the islands pummelled by Cyclone Pam’s gusts of more than 300km/h on Friday and Saturday.
With communications cut off and reconnaissance flights revealing destroyed houses, shredded forests and damaged buildings, international aid agencies had been particularly worried about Tanna, which bore the full force of the storm.
A Reuters witness on the island of 29 000 people, about 200km south of the capital, said that while damage was extensive, it appeared most of the population had survived by sheltering in schools, churches and other sturdy buildings.
“People sheltered in school buildings. We were helping one another,” Ropate Vuso, 67, said. “We are running short of food, water, shelter and electricity. We have no communications, we are still waiting for the people from parliament, the chief and the president, but still nobody is coming.”
There were unconfirmed reports of four deaths in and around the main town of Tanna. Daniel Dieckhaus, an adviser for USAid, said hard-hit communities were showing remarkable resilience. “You can see them out there now, rebuilding with whatever they have.”
Yesterday, the UN said the official death toll from the cyclone was 11, revising down its earlier figure of 24, but many officials anticipate that number would rise once they are able to more thoroughly inspect the outer islands of the scattered archipelago.
“The aerial reconnaissance flights confirmed significant damage in the southern islands, particularly Tanna island, where it appears that more than 80 percent of houses and buildings have been partially or completely destroyed,” Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.
In Vanuatu capital Port Vila the clean-up was progressing after trees were uprooted and homes flattened, but there were worries about food scarcity and health after the main local food market was destroyed and the city’s hospital severely damaged.
Bishop said Australia was sending a 20-strong emergency medical assistance team of doctors, nurses, paramedics and a pharmacist. – Reuters