South Pacific hit by ‘worst natural disaster for years’
A cyclone has hit the South Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, destroying houses and hotels and leaving hundreds of people homeless.
Eight people are confirmed dead, but UN agencies say the death toll could be much higher as entire villages on remote islands are believed to have been destroyed, although communications to many areas are down.
The capital Port Vila, popular with holidaymakers from Australia and New Zealand, was hit by winds of up to 170 mph and torrential rain.
On Saturday, the capital’s cities were littered with debris, including roofing, uprooted trees and power lines brought down by the wind.
It is thought to be one of the worst ever natural disasters in the South Pacific.
All islands in Vanuatu are on alert and the president has declared a state of emergency, appealing for international aid.
Unicef spokeswoman Alice Clements told the BBC the cyclone was ’15-30 minutes of absolute terror’ as it passed over Port Vila.
She said the sliding doors from her three-storey-hotel room were completely blown away.
Pam, a category five tropical storm, had already caused major damage on other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands before it hit Vanuatu.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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