Severe Tropical Cyclone Donna has been downgraded to a Category Four storm after tracking west of Vanuatu at Category Five.
The storm has brought days of heavy rain and destructive winds to several of Vanuatu's provinces but the Director of the National Disaster Management Office in Port Vila, Shadrack Welegtabit, says it’s not still safe to reach out to those communities in the north of the country.
“We heard about houses being destroyed but we are still trying to get a figure, how many houses are damaged, garden crops and other stuff like that,” Welegtabit told Pacific Beat.
“We are trying to establish communication to know the extent of the damage.”
Welegtabit said emergency response is ready to go but the weather is not permitting them to do anything now.
He said it may take another day or two for things to be alright to be able to do anything.
Photo file: NDMO Director Shadrack Welegtabit