The Vanuatu Red Cross says Malekula and Ambrym islands in Malampa Province appear to be the worst affected by Tropical Cyclone Hola.
Denny Manvoi a Red Cross worker in Port Vila said reports overnight suggested many houses had been blown out and crops uprooted.
He confirmed school classrooms were also damaged on Ambrym but there had been no reports of any injuries and the principal said the children were safe.
He estimated 20 to 30 per cent of houses on Malekula may be damaged or destroyed with the north of the island sustaining the worst effects of the cyclone.
Mr Manvoi said most of the damaged homes were traditional style houses.
"Most of the houses that have been blown out from the cyclone Hola was you know the traditional houses in the communities, that's one of the most vulnerable houses that we have in the islands, most of these have been blown out."
Denny Manvoi said many people stayed in evacuation centres such as churches overnight as the cyclone passed.
He said there did not appear to be any major damage in the Port Vila area and Tropical Cyclone Hola has now moved away to the southwest of Vanuatu.
Red Cross volunteer in the west of Ambrym, Bong Kimmy, said the wind there was very strong and the seas were rough.
The weather had been fine yesterday morning but changed quite suddenly around midday, he said.
Most people had heeded the warnings and moved away from the coastline but others did not get the warnings as the cellphone network was damaged, he said.
But by afternoon, as winds built, more people had started to move to evacuation areas and safer buildings such as churches.
A Disaster Office red alert warning had been issued for the four provinces of Sanma, Penama, Malampa and Shefa, which covers much of the country.
Vanuatu's weather office was still warning of destructive storm force winds today.
Photo source Vanuatu Red Cross/Facebook
