Vanuatu

The New Caledonian Army Forces were quick to act, sending a patrol plane last Friday to look at the extent of the damage in Vanuatu.

On Sunday the territory's forces arrived on the cargo ship D'Entrecasteaux in the capital Port Vila.

A supply ship is also delivering supplies from Port Vila to Tanna and other islands.

The ship will assist in road clearance, provide drinking water and give medical response.

General of the Army Forces of New Caledonia Valerie Putz says the structural damage on Tanna Island has been fairly minimal.

Parliament was scheduled for a special sitting on Tuesday to debate and approve the national budget.

RNZ Pacific reports Speaker Simeon Seoule was forced to postpone the session as several MPs remain stranded in their constituencies following back-to-back cyclones last week.

Meanwhile, Air Vanuatu has resumed its domestic flight services.

Photo file RNZ Pacific   Caption: Vanuatu Parliament 

Hundreds of people remain in emergency evacuation centres in the capital Port Vila as Tropical Cyclone Kevin brought destructive winds and heavy rainfall.

ABC Pacific Vanuatu's Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau said he was grateful for the assistance.

"With the generosity of the Australian government, we've undertaken a surveillance flight over Port Vila, Eramango and Tanna," he said.

"Suffice to say it's a very sad state of affairs."

With widespread damages to infrastructure, many children have lost their homes, had their schools damaged, and neighbourhoods hit hard by cyclones Judy and Kevin.

Port Vila International School teacher Cassidy Jackson-Caroll told RNZ Pacific it was important to prioritise school-aged children's wellbeing during these times.

Jackson-Caroll said that requires all stakeholders to move quickly and restore a sense of normalcy and enable children to return to school.

Authorities are yet to determine the full scale of the damages caused by the back-to-back severe tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin.

But those who had to endure the worst of the natural disasters last week believe demonstrating resilience is their only option.

"To have had two category four cyclones in less than a week is history in itself," Vanuatu's only female Member of Parliament, Gloria Julia King, told RNZ Pacific.

"[It's] something that even the elders in our families haven't seen before."

Within days of each other, Vanuatu experienced back-to-back cyclones and a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, destroying homes, livelihoods, infrastructure and communications.

​Acting Country Director for Save The Children, Jack French told Pacific Mornings that while Ni-Vanuatu have banded together to support one another, attention is turning towards the next generation having to deal with harsher weather occurrences.

It also brought a team of disaster management experts to assist with the response.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has shared this message: "Our whānau in Vanuatu are very much in our thoughts. We have first-hand experience of the challenges that Vanuatu will face in the coming days and weeks, and are watching the situation closely. We will continue to work closely with our partners and respond to Government of Vanuatu’s requests for assistance where we can.”

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules will depart this morning from Whenuapai carrying relief supplies, including water containers, kits for temporary shelters, and family hygiene kits.

Cyclones Judy and Kevin damaged homes, livelihoods, infrastructure and caused the loss of communications in some areas. The full extent of the impact of the cyclones is still to be assessed,” Nanaia Mahuta said in a statement released today.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, Ministers and officials joined a rapid assessment team on a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft yesterday to survey damage over Shefa and Tafea.

The Australian Government deployed a rapid assessment team to survey cyclone damage at the request of the Government of Vanuatu.

The 12-person team and an initial assistance package were transported to Vanuatu on a RAAF C-130 aircraft.

"It was quite exhausting. Dealing with two cyclones in three days is pretty draining, you know," Vanuatu journalist Dan McGarry told RNZ.

He said the gale-force winds have been rough. He woke early on Saturday morning to try and get a sense of the extent of the damage.

He went outside in the dark to charge his phone, and when the sun came up it was a real eyesore.

"Our own laneway is blocked off. We've got tree limbs all the way up and down," he said.

After clearing the way, he was able to get out and about and have a look around.