Vanuatu has declared a state of emergency as Category 4 Cyclone Kevin brings gale-force winds and heavy rain to the Pacific island, which has also been shaken by two earthquakes in the last week.
Vanuatu, a nation of 13 major islands in the southwestern Pacific, has already been ravaged by Cyclone Judy, which struck the capital Port Vila on Wednesday, knocking out electricity and causing some citizens to escape.
While the country cleaned roads and restored electricity lines damaged by Cyclone Judy, citizens were shocked early on Friday morning by twin earthquakes and urged to hunker down in preparation for Cyclone Kevin.
“It’s insane. Vanuatu is used to natural catastrophes, but I believe this is the first time it has seen two consecutive cyclones, UNICEF spokesperson Eric Durpaire told Agence France-Presse.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies released a statement on Saturday estimating that hundreds of thousands of people in Vanuatu had been affected by the two enormous Category 4 cyclones that swept over the island country within 24 hours.
The government announced a state of emergency on Friday, and Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau told Radio New Zealand that authorities were assessing the damage.
UNICEF Pacific expressed grave concern about the effects of two cyclones on vulnerable children and was collaborating with the government to meet the immediate needs of families. The UN agency also stated that it was delivering disaster assistance materials from Fiji to Vanuatu.
According to the meteorological service, Cyclone Kevin passed over the capital late on Friday and was heading towards the southern island province of Tafea on Saturday morning with wind gusts exceeding 230 kilometers per hour (142.92 miles per hour). The National Disaster Management Organization issued a red warning for the province of Tafea, home to little more than 30,000 individuals. All vessels were warned to avoid venturing out to sea.
As Cyclone Kevin continues to move southeast away from Vanuatu, it is anticipated that the winds will diminish during the following six to twelve hours.
On Friday, magnitude 6.5 and 5.4 earthquakes were detected, adding to the nation’s troubles, but there were no immediate reports of deaths. The situation on remote islands remains ambiguous.
“People on (Espiritu) Santo felt the earthquake but were unable to evaluate the damage due to high winds,” Dickinson Tevi, the secretary general of the Vanuatu Red Cross Organization, told AFP.
Tevi stated, “They informed me they did not sleep well because the earthquake struck while they were already awake from the hurricane.”
“Access to impacted villages has been limited since most roads have been destroyed and downed power lines have created power outages, making it impossible to communicate with outlying people.” Tanna island in the Tafea district is predicted to be the most severely hit,” Tevi stated in a subsequent statement.
Cyclone Kevin is expected to cause further destruction, and the recovery process will be lengthy.
UNICEF’s Durpaire compared the situation to a car accident, stating that the initial shock is followed by long-term issues.
“Medical facilities, hospitals, and schools were impacted. Some youngsters may be unable to attend school for several weeks or even months.”
Australia stated that it will provide a 12-person assessment team to Vanuatu, as well as shelters and water purification equipment. Moreover, the Royal Australian Air Force will aid with aerial damage assessments.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stated on Friday that the Australian Defense Force is cooperating closely with the Pacific family in order to offer the greatest possible support to the Ni-Vanuatu people.
