All Vanuatu government workers have been told to stay home until Tropical Cyclone Judy has left the country.
RNZ Pacific reports the category three cyclone is bearing down on Vanuatu's northern provinces, moving in a southerly direction.
In its latest cyclone warning the Vanuatu Metservice said destructive hurricane-force winds of 150km/h gusting to 200km/h will affect the central and southern islands.
Air Vanuatu cancelled all domestic and international flights yesterday and today, with flights expected to resume on Thursday.
Banks closed their doors early Wednesday afternoon and sent staff home.
Boarding schools in the capital have also sent students home.
Commercial ships were urged by Port and Marine Departments to find safe anchorage after the met service issued a high seas warning for open coastal waters of Vanuatu.
Evacuation centres
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has already identified evacuation centres in Port Vila but for the rest of Efate island and other offshore islands, the office is working closely with the Vanuatu Christian Council of Churches to use church buildings as evacuation centres.
The NDMO's co-ordinator for evacuation centres has appealed to people throughout the country to respect and take seriously the warnings given by the Meteorological Department.
Port Vila was severely damage by tropical cyclone Pam in 2015 which was a category five cyclone.