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Cyclone Pam: Vanuatu 'needs food' Cyclone Pam: Vanuatu 'needs food'
(about 1 hour later)
Vanuatu urgently needs food and relief supplies, officials said, days after Cyclone Pam caused massive damage across the Pacific nation. Vanuatu urgently needs food and relief supplies, officials said, days after Cyclone Pam caused massive devastation across the Pacific nation.
Houses, schools and crops have been destroyed by the storm, which hit the islands as a category five.Houses, schools and crops have been destroyed by the storm, which hit the islands as a category five.
So far 24 people are reported dead but this could rise. There are islands south of the capital where the situation is not yet known. Eleven people have died, the UN said, revising down an earlier toll of 24.
Those who have flown over the islands report widespread devastation. But this could rise. There are islands south of Port Vila where the situation is not yet known. Those who have flown over them report widespread damage.
Teams had managed to land on Tanna and Erromango islands - both directly in the path of the storm - on Tuesday afternoon local time, the Associated Press reported, citing an aid agency.
Military planes that have flown over the islands have reported extensive destruction to houses and crops.
"We understand that the reconnaissance imagery shows widespread devastation," Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said of Tanna. "Not only buildings flattened - palm plantations, trees. It's quite a devastating sight."
The struggle to reach Vanuatu's islands
Aurélia Balpe, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for the Pacific, says the Vanuatu government is co-ordinating assessment and aid, including flights to other islands. Aid agencies have organised themselves in clusters to better co-ordinate help.
But getting to islands is not easy. "There are difficulties in understanding how large a plane can land on some islands. In many of these small islands, they don't have ports that can handle large vessels. In some places we may need to construct landing places for planes and boats," she said.
Many smaller boats in Port Vila were damaged by the storm, and the distance is a challenge. "It's about 150km from Port Vila to the island of Erromango - which would take at least four hours in a small boat - and another 80km from Erromango to Tanna."
The weather is not helping. "The first couple of days were very difficult because of the cyclone, and even now there are really bad swells and storm surges," she said.
The storm hit Vanuatu on Saturday, bringing very high winds.
Across the nation, many people have lost their homes or face extensive rebuilding. Telecommunications, power and water supplies have all been badly affected.Across the nation, many people have lost their homes or face extensive rebuilding. Telecommunications, power and water supplies have all been badly affected.
"We urgently need water purification tablets to make sure that the water is safe to drink," Alice Clements of Unicef told the BBC."We urgently need water purification tablets to make sure that the water is safe to drink," Alice Clements of Unicef told the BBC.
"We urgently need food for communities whose crops have been absolutely destroyed and will take up to three months to grow. We absolutely need shelter.""We urgently need food for communities whose crops have been absolutely destroyed and will take up to three months to grow. We absolutely need shelter."
Benjamin Shing, of President Baldwin Lonsdale's office, echoed her comments.Benjamin Shing, of President Baldwin Lonsdale's office, echoed her comments.
"We are relying on the fact that the food crops and the gardens are still edible and they can be used for the first week but after [that] we'll need to get some rations on the ground," he told Australian media."We are relying on the fact that the food crops and the gardens are still edible and they can be used for the first week but after [that] we'll need to get some rations on the ground," he told Australian media.
As well as crops, residents' stockpiles of food had been destroyed and wood was too wet for people to cook with, reports said.As well as crops, residents' stockpiles of food had been destroyed and wood was too wet for people to cook with, reports said.
The storm hit Vanuatu on Saturday, bringing very high winds.
Aid is arriving from nations including Australia, New Zealand and the UK but officials say distributing supplies will take time, given damage to infrastructure and the number of islands.Aid is arriving from nations including Australia, New Zealand and the UK but officials say distributing supplies will take time, given damage to infrastructure and the number of islands.
In Port Vila, the capital, a clean-up is under way but the destruction was extensive. Power and water have been restored in some areas but up to 90% of homes have been damaged.In Port Vila, the capital, a clean-up is under way but the destruction was extensive. Power and water have been restored in some areas but up to 90% of homes have been damaged.
The hospital is coping with an influx of injured people but a surgeon said beds had been moved outside because of structural damage.The hospital is coping with an influx of injured people but a surgeon said beds had been moved outside because of structural damage.
On the main island and in Torba and Penama provinces to the north, some 3,300 people were in evacuation shelters, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. On the main island and in the provinces of Torba and Penama to the north, some 3,300 people were in evacuation shelters, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
Of islands to the south of the capital in the direct path of the cyclone, including Tanna - home to 29,000 people - and Erromango, much less is known.
"We have no contact of any sort with the outer islands, the priority is to get communications up and running," Joe Lowry, a spokesman for International Organisation for Migration (ILM), told Reuters news agency.
"It's very, very concerning that we haven't heard anything from the outlying islands."
Military planes that have flown over the islands have reported extensive damage to houses and crops.
"We understand that the reconnaissance imagery shows widespread devastation," Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said of Tanna. "Not only buildings flattened - palm plantations, trees. It's quite a devastating sight."
The struggle to reach Vanuatu's islands
Aurélia Balpe, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for the Pacific, says the Vanuatu government is coordinating assessment and aid, including flights to other islands. Aid agencies have organised themselves in clusters to better co-ordinate help.
But getting to islands is not easy. "There are difficulties in understanding how large a plane can land on some islands. In many of these small islands, they don't have ports that can handle large vessels. In some places we may need to construct landing places for planes and boats," she said.
Many smaller boats in Port Vila were damaged by the storm, and the distance is a challenge. "It's about 150km from Port Vila to the island of Erromango - which would take at least four hours in a small boat - and another 80km from Erromango to Tanna."
The weather is not helping. "The first couple of days were very difficult because of the cyclone, and even now there are really bad swells and storm surges," she said.
The president, returning from a conference in Japan, has described the storm as a "monster" that wiped out years of development.The president, returning from a conference in Japan, has described the storm as a "monster" that wiped out years of development.
He has linked the disaster to climate change, citing changing weather patterns, rising seas and heavier-than-average rain in Vanuatu.He has linked the disaster to climate change, citing changing weather patterns, rising seas and heavier-than-average rain in Vanuatu.
Australia announced on Tuesday that it was sending more personnel, including a search and rescue team, and three more military planes carrying aid.Australia announced on Tuesday that it was sending more personnel, including a search and rescue team, and three more military planes carrying aid.
How poor is Vanuatu?How poor is Vanuatu?
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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