Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office says they are waiting for Cyclone Oma to safely clear the northern provinces so they can get out to assess damage.
The government has issued its highest alert level of red for Torba, Sanma, Penama and Melampa provinces.
Oma is still a category two system and was sitting 145km west of Santo at 8am local time this morning.
It is heading in a north north-east direction towards Santo's north-west, with winds as high as 130km/h at its centre.
Authorities in Vanuatu are warning of torrential rain, damaging winds and violent storm surges.
The Meteorological Service has described the sea swells in the area as phenomenal and is urging people to stay inland.
Presley Tari said they had been receiving reports of damage from the Sanma Provincial team based at Luganville.
"They have received calls from the west of Santo saying they have a huge amount of wind blowing and very rough sea and big rain. There has been severe damage here but after the cyclone we'll have our assessment team to do the assessment and then we can have a proper information for this."
Red Cross volunteers in Sanma province last night were removing fallen trees and checking on families at evacuation centres, according to the agency's Hanna Butler.
Meanwhile, in Torba Province Ms Butler said volunteers there had helped the Motalava Disaster and Climate Change Committee move coastal dwellers to safe houses as the storm loomed.
A New Zealander living in Luganville, Kevin McCarthy, said conditions there today were muggy with wind and rain.
"Damn thing keeps circling around and won't leave," he said.
Tropical Cyclone Oma has been lingering over Vanuatu's northern provinces since Tuesday.
Photo Vanuatu Red Cross/Facebook. Caption: Damage at Paradise Bungalows at Rah Island, Torba Province