Tropical Cyclone Donna is continuing to move south and is about 200km off Vanuatu's islands.
The cyclone, with winds gusting up to 265 km/h close to its centre, is affecting Vanuatu's Torba, Sanma and Malampa provinces.
Disaster authorities in Vanuatu said people and supplies were standing by ready to be deployed to cyclone-hit areas as soon as possible.
RNZI reports the worst-hit Torres Islands, where houses have been toppled and food crops destroyed, continue to experience winds gusting over 200 km/h.
The director of the disaster management office, Shadrack Welegtabit, said continued stormy weather was hampering the response effort.
"We cannot do any assessment now - both aerial assessment and ground assessment - with the system still hovering in the north. There is still strong gale force winds around the provinces so it's not safe to send any aircraft or boat in at this stage."
Mr Welegtabit said it was frustrating that teams were unable to be deployed.
After crossing the northern Vanuatu islands and hovering to the west of Torba for two days, Cyclone Donna is now on track to New Caledonia.
A level one alert will come into force at 8am local time in New Caledonia's northern province and on Ouvea and Lifou.
The same alert will be extended to the rest of New Caledonia at 2pm, meaning people will be advised to prepare for the cyclone's impact.
Domestic flights will be stopped late this morning and schools have been ordered to be closed until at least tomorrow.
Forecaster said by tonight the cyclone would be about 140km off the northernmost island of Belep.
Photo by Joshua Bule/Vanuatu Red Cross Facebook
