Vanuatu has been battered by two cyclones in one week after Tropical Cyclone Kevin followed hot on the heels of Severe Tropical Cyclone Judy, completely cutting off telecommunication in parts of the Pacific Nation and causing widespread damage.

Published 1 year ago

Cyclone Judy left a trail of destruction across the country, causing floods, damaging homes buildings and leaving thousands of residents without electricity and running water.  The southern islands of Erramango and Tanna – reported to be the hardest hit – remain off-line.

Then, just as that category four system weakened and moved away from Vanuatu, the Fiji weather office confirmed Cyclone Kevin would also cross through the islands.

The Fiji Meteorological Service said Cyclone Kevin was forecast to intensify bringing damaging gale force winds through Thursday March 2 and Friday March 3.

On Friday night the Vanuatu Meteorology Service upgraded the tropical cyclone to a category 4 before its power went out.

The islands of Pentecost, Santo and Malekula were issued warnings in anticipation of Cyclone Kevin with winds from the cyclone estimated at 165km/h, gusting up to 230km/h

State of Emergency after Cyclone Judy

Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau declared a state of emergency after Cyclone Judy which he said would allow the islands most affected by Judy to receive help immediately.

Mr Kalsakau told RNZ Pacific “the impacts are widespread” but that the full scale of the damages would not be known until after Cyclone Kevin was passed the island’s waters.

“It is difficult to try to get hold of people on Erramango and Tanna. We do not know whether the antennas are down or what, but once we get information we will be able to let everybody know.” 

He said there is a lot damage on Efate island as well, where the capital Port Vila is located.

“We were working the whole day (Wednesday March 1) and right until Thursday (March 2) morning trying to try to sort everything out.”

Port Vila-based journalist Dan McGarry told Radio New Zealand that it appeared Cyclone Judy hit Tanna far stronger than when she hit Port Vila.

He said from the images he has seen it looks like there has been massive flooding, leaving large mud flows along the main road between the airport and Lenakel, the island’s commercial centre.

So far, there have not been any reports of loss of life and no casualties had been reported but hundreds of people fled to evacuation centres in the capital Port Vila.

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Related News:

• Vanuatu Residents Exhausted after Two Cyclones in Three Days (Radio New Zealand)
  
• New Cyclone Bears Down on Vanuatu (Radio New Zealand)
  
• Vanuatu PM Says Cyclone Judy Impacts are Widespread (Radio New Zealand)
  
• Tropical Cyclone Judy Approaches Northern Islands (Noonsite)
  

Related Links:

• Fiji Met Service Tropical Cyclone Warnings
  
• US Navy Joint Typhoon Warning Center
  

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