TC Harold

The category five storm tore a path of destruction through central and northern part of the country earlier this month.

Thousands of people have been impacted, with the Red Cross reporting 90 percent of buildings in Luganville, the second biggest centre in the country, being damaged or destroyed.

The logistics coordinator at the Disaster Management Office, Jimmy Naura, said shipping supplies from Port Vila to the affected islands was difficult because many ships had been washed ashore or damaged by the cyclone.

The items include medical supplies, shelter, hygiene and household kits, bed nets, solar lights, birthing kits and water buckets.

Australia has already committed over 300 million vatu to the Government of Vanuatu’s Tropical Cyclone Harold response.

In addition to the provision of humanitarian supplies, Australia is also supporting other sectors such as health, education and policing.

Thus, the MoET developed dedicated webpages for COVID-19 and TC Harold on the MoET website.

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, usually called COVID-19, now threatening the people of Vanuatu, the MoET has established a Technical Working Group to plan the continuity of education in Vanuatu. The MoET worked hard since March 2020 to develop and implement a contingency plan in order to maintain access, quality and management in education across the country.

150,000 people continue to be affected in the aftermath of TC Harold across Sanma, Malampa and Penama provice with Santo (and surrounding islands) and Pentecost being the hardest hit areas.

Save the Children estimates that around 70% of homes have been destroyed in Sanma, and in some communities not a single home is standing. This has forced people into crowded evacuation centres with extremely limited access to hygiene items and facilities.

Aid came in from New Zealand and Australia shortly after the category five storm devastated the central and northern islands of Vanuatu.

Last week a french aircraft from New Caledonia landed in Port Vila with more relief supplies.

The Disaster Management's co-ordinator of logistics, Jimmy Nauru, said they have loaded two boats with aid that came in two 20 foot containers.

"That's part of a big assistance. The team are working on those items, moving those items to the outer islands that really need those items. Apart from that we have Australia and New Zealand."

The toll-free number is accessible from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm for both Vodafone and Digicel customers across the country.

The MoET is encouraging principals to report damages caused by the TC Harold on school facilities as well as support parents and communities with home schooling. This hotline gives a wider range of support and assessment to the MoET. Thus, people are encouraged to call 160 for free from any landline or mobile phone to report or ask questions linked with COVID-19 or TC Harold. 

A proposal states that no house can be constructed after TC Harold unless engineers conduct proper zoning.

Reports from Central Pentecost said engineers would go to Melsisi soon to see how the Catholic Mission will be rebuilt with new classrooms to replace the ones that were destroyed by the cyclone.

The roof of the Church house was ripped off during TC Harold and needs major renovation.

Zoning only applies to homes at Melsisi that were destroyed during the cyclone.

The cyclone, which also caused damages in Fiji, Tonga and Solomon Islands, struck Vanuatu earlier this month as a powerful category five storm, the highest possible on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

At the time of TC Harold's arrival, the country, which is one of the most disaster-prone in the world, was already dealing with immense humanitarian challenges, including Covid-19 preparedness as well as ongoing volcanic eruptions in Tafea province and localised flooding.

The supplies consist of sourcing local fresh produce from non-affected areas to supply to families in affected areas.

According to the details of this financial support, one million vatu will go towards sourcing 2000kg of sliced frozen tuna from SinoVan Ltd.

And another million vatu will go to farmers’ associations on Malekula, Ambrym and Efate to supply 1200kg of meat protein.

Jimmy Obed is with the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) critical care co-ordination centre responding to Cyclone Harold at Santo's main hospital in Luganville.

Dr Obed is up in Luganville from the capital Port Vila.

"The main reason for me being here is to give assistance to the EMT team here and also to give capacity for relief at the medical ward," he said.

Dr Obed said most of the medical staff in the region are directly affected by the disaster and are also trying to work.