The first shipments of aid landed in Vanuatu on Sunday as authorities declared a state of emergency and global relief agencies geared up after a “monster” cyclone tore through the vulnerable Pacific island nation.
With winds of more than 300 kph (185 mph), Cyclone Pam razed homes, smashed boats and destroyed crops as it struck late on Friday and into Saturday. Aid workers described the situation as catastrophic.
The official count of confirmed deaths was at eight with 20 people injured. But those numbers were almost certain to rise as rescuers reached the low-lying archipelago’s outlying islands.
Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office said the government still had no word from outside the capital.
“Our communication link is still down,” said Paolo Malatu, a relief official at the office. “We haven’t got any information from outside Port Vila.”
“The biggest need at the moment is shelter and food and wash kits,” Malatu said.
Witnesses described sea surges of up to eight metres (26 feet) and flooding throughout Port Vila after the category 5 cyclone hit.
Satellite images on Saturday showed a menacing spiral of storm covering virtually the whole archipelago as it swirled around its eye.