This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-31917913

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Cyclone Pam: Vanuatu 'needs food' Cyclone Pam: Vanuatu relief teams reach damaged islands
(about 3 hours later)
Vanuatu urgently needs food and relief supplies, officials said, days after Cyclone Pam caused massive devastation across the Pacific nation. Outlying areas of Vanuatu hit by Cyclone Pam suffered "significantly worse" damage than the island nation's capital, aid workers have reported.
Houses, schools and crops have been destroyed by the storm, which hit the islands as a category five. Teams carrying medical supplies, food, water and shelter equipment landed on the outer islands of Tanna and Erromango, agencies said.
Getting aid to the islands has proven difficult because of a lack of landing strips or deepwater ports.
Eleven people have died, the UN said, revising down an earlier toll of 24.Eleven people have died, the UN said, revising down an earlier toll of 24.
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. Tanna island has a population of about 30,000 people and is about 200 kilometres south of the capital Port Vila. It was directly in the path of the cyclone.
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. Tom Perry from Care Australia said relief workers in Tanna reported the hospital was functioning but had no roof.
Military planes that have flown over the islands have reported extensive destruction to houses and crops. "The impression they got from their initial observations was that the damage is significantly worse than Port Vila," Mr Perry told AFP news agency.
"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." Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said military planes flown over the islands had reported major damage to houses and crops.
"We understand that the reconnaissance imagery shows widespread devastation," Ms Bishop said of Tanna. "Not only buildings flattened - palm plantations, trees. It's quite a devastating sight."
Communication to many of the other 80 islands in the archipelago are still down and officials have warned survivors could quickly run out of food.
The struggle to reach Vanuatu's islandsThe 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. Aurelia 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.
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. 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."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. Poor weather and rough seas are also an issue. "The first couple of days were very difficult because of the cyclone, and even now there are really bad swells and storm surges," Ms Balpe said.
The storm hit Vanuatu on Saturday, bringing very high winds. The category five storm hit Vanuatu on Saturday, bringing wind gusts of up to 300km/h (185mph).
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 Pacific 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.
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 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 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.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.
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.
Email your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, upload them here, tweet them to @BBC_HaveYourSay or text +44 7624 800 100.Email your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, upload them here, tweet them to @BBC_HaveYourSay or text +44 7624 800 100.
You could also send us pictures on WhatsApp. Our number is: +44 7525 900971.You could also send us pictures on WhatsApp. Our number is: +44 7525 900971.
Read our terms and conditions.Read our terms and conditions.
Have your sayHave your say