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| Cyclone Pam leaves 'most' of Vanuatu population homeless | Cyclone Pam leaves 'most' of Vanuatu population homeless |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Vanuatu's president has told the BBC most of his people are homeless after the devastating cyclone that ravaged the Pacific island nation on Saturday. | |
| Speaking from Japan, Baldwin Londsdale said Cyclone Pam had destroyed most buildings in the capital Port Vila, including schools and clinics. | |
| A Red Cross spokesman described the situation as apocalyptic - in some areas, entire villages were swept away. | A Red Cross spokesman described the situation as apocalyptic - in some areas, entire villages were swept away. |
| At least eight people are reported to have been killed. | At least eight people are reported to have been killed. |
| However, it is feared the toll will rise sharply as rescuers reach outlying islands. | However, it is feared the toll will rise sharply as rescuers reach outlying islands. |
| Thousands of people spent a second night in shelters. | Thousands of people spent a second night in shelters. |
| The category five storm, with winds of up to 270km/h (170mph), veered off its expected course and struck populated areas when it reached Vanuatu early on Saturday local time (+11 GMT). | |
| Vanuatu's population of 267,000 is spread over 65 islands with about 47,000 people living in Port Vila. | Vanuatu's population of 267,000 is spread over 65 islands with about 47,000 people living in Port Vila. |
| The authorities in Vanuatu are struggling to gauge the extent of the damage across the country because communications are down and fallen power lines and trees have blocked roads. | |
| Meanwhile, the first delivery of aid arrived on a New Zealand Hercules while Australia has also promised immediate assistance, along with the UK and the UN. | |
| 'One toilet between 300' | |
| In a statement on Sunday, Oxfam Australia said up to 90% of housing in Port Vila had reportedly been seriously damaged. | In a statement on Sunday, Oxfam Australia said up to 90% of housing in Port Vila had reportedly been seriously damaged. |
| "This is likely to be one of the worst disasters ever seen in the Pacific," said Oxfam's Colin Collet van Rooyen in Port Vila. | "This is likely to be one of the worst disasters ever seen in the Pacific," said Oxfam's Colin Collet van Rooyen in Port Vila. |
| "The scale of humanitarian need will be enormous and the proud people of Vanuatu are going to need a lot of help to rebuild their homes and their lives." | "The scale of humanitarian need will be enormous and the proud people of Vanuatu are going to need a lot of help to rebuild their homes and their lives." |
| Immediate priorities, he said, were providing shelter, clean water and sanitation. | Immediate priorities, he said, were providing shelter, clean water and sanitation. |
| Port Vila's airport has been closed since the cyclone struck but officials said they hoped it might partly reopen on Sunday to allow in the first relief planes. | Port Vila's airport has been closed since the cyclone struck but officials said they hoped it might partly reopen on Sunday to allow in the first relief planes. |
| A UN disaster assessment team is due to arrive in Vanuatu in the coming hours. | A UN disaster assessment team is due to arrive in Vanuatu in the coming hours. |
| Mark Le Roux, of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, told the BBC the situation in Port Vila was "pretty grim". | Mark Le Roux, of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, told the BBC the situation in Port Vila was "pretty grim". |
| "We have 20 evacuation centres with about 2,000 people in them, some of our evacuation centres have up to 300 people sharing one toilet," he said. | "We have 20 evacuation centres with about 2,000 people in them, some of our evacuation centres have up to 300 people sharing one toilet," he said. |
| Chloe Morrison, an emergency communications officer with World Vision in Port Vila, said residents had woken to much calmer weather on Sunday. | Chloe Morrison, an emergency communications officer with World Vision in Port Vila, said residents had woken to much calmer weather on Sunday. |
| She said communications were still down in many areas and her group had been unable to account for many of its 76 staff members on the islands. | She said communications were still down in many areas and her group had been unable to account for many of its 76 staff members on the islands. |
| She said it would have been a "very, very tough time" for anyone not in a secure shelter during the cyclone. | She said it would have been a "very, very tough time" for anyone not in a secure shelter during the cyclone. |
| President Lonsdale made an impassioned plea for international help earlier. | President Lonsdale made an impassioned plea for international help earlier. |
| "I am speaking to you today with a heart that is so heavy," he said at the UN Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan. | "I am speaking to you today with a heart that is so heavy," he said at the UN Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan. |
| "I stand to appeal on behalf of the government and the people to give a helping hand in this disaster." | "I stand to appeal on behalf of the government and the people to give a helping hand in this disaster." |
| The extent of the devastation is unlikely to be known for several days, said Tom Skirrow, Save the Children's Vanuatu country director. | The extent of the devastation is unlikely to be known for several days, said Tom Skirrow, Save the Children's Vanuatu country director. |
| Unconfirmed reports on Saturday said 44 people had died in Penama province in the north-east of Vanuatu, according to the UN's Office for the Co-ordination for Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA). | Unconfirmed reports on Saturday said 44 people had died in Penama province in the north-east of Vanuatu, according to the UN's Office for the Co-ordination for Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA). |
| Pam had already caused major damage on other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. | Pam had already caused major damage on other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. |
| Tuvalu, a group of nine tiny islands north-east of Vanuatu, also declared a state of emergency after the cyclone caused flash floods there. | Tuvalu, a group of nine tiny islands north-east of Vanuatu, also declared a state of emergency after the cyclone caused flash floods there. |
| Are you in Vanuatu? Have you been affected by the cyclone? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are available to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. | Are you in Vanuatu? Have you been affected by the cyclone? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are available to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. |
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