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Cyclone Pam nears Vanuatu after hitting South Pacific nations Dozens feared dead after Cyclone Pam hits Vanuatu
(about 9 hours later)
Cyclone Pam, a category five tropical storm, is bearing down on Vanuatu after causing destruction in several South Pacific nations. The death toll from a category five tropical storm that has hit islands in the South Pacific could run into the dozens, the UN's relief agency says.
Flash floods and strong winds have hit Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands, causing significant damage. Cyclone Pam battered Vanuatu with winds of up to 270kph (170mph) on Friday.
Vanuatu has issued a red alert nationwide. The cyclone has reached its north and was expected to felt in the capital, Port Vila, on Friday night. Authorities on the islands had earlier issued a red alert to residents after the cyclone changed direction and began moving towards populated areas.
There have been no casualties or loss of life reported yet. It has already caused major damage on other Pacific islands, including Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.
Tuvalu, a group of nine tiny islands north-east of Vanuatu, has also declared a state of emergency after the cyclone caused flash floods there.
"The immediate concern is for a very high death toll but also an enormous amount of destruction and devastation," Sune Gudnitz, regional director for the UNOCHA, told Reuters news agency from nearby Fiji, which is also expecting to be hit by Pam.
There were unconfirmed reports that 44 people had died in Penama province in the north-east of Vanuata, the UNOCHA said in a statement on Friday, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, category three Cyclone Olwyn has hit the coast of Western Australia with wind gusts of up to 195kph (120mph).Meanwhile, category three Cyclone Olwyn has hit the coast of Western Australia with wind gusts of up to 195kph (120mph).
People in the WA coastal region were warned to move to higher ground to escape dangerous flooding. People in the state's coastal region were warned to move to higher ground to escape dangerous flooding.
Tuvalu emergencyTuvalu emergency
Cyclone Pam has already caused flash floods in Tuvalu, which has declared a state of emergency. Cyclone Pam destroyed homes and flooded crop areas in Kiribati and the Solomon Islands before moving on to Vanuatu and Tuvalu. At least 3,000 households were said to have been affected.
The storm destroyed homes and flooded crop areas in Kiribati and the Solomon Islands, where at least 3,000 households have been affected. The Vanuatu Meteorological Services (VMS) said it expected torrential rainfall, flash flooding, landslides and storm surges.
The Vanuatu Meteorological Services (VMS) said that at 18:00 local time (05:00 GMT) Pam was 105km north-northeast of Port Vila and packing strong winds of 230km/h (142mph) at its centre. All six provinces are under red alert, meaning people are advised to immediately head to shelter.
All six provinces are now under red alert, meaning people are advised to immediately head to shelter.
VMS said "very destructive winds and very rough to phenomenal seas with heavy swells" were already hitting the region, while torrential rainfall, flash flooding, landslides and storm surges were expected.
Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office spokesperson Mishaen Garae Lulu told Radio New Zealand that the government had lost contact with some parts of the northern provinces.Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office spokesperson Mishaen Garae Lulu told Radio New Zealand that the government had lost contact with some parts of the northern provinces.
He said the cyclone was expected to be worse than Cyclone Uma which killed 50 people in 1987. He said the cyclone was expected to be worse than Cyclone Uma, which killed 50 people in 1987.
Port Vila, was expected to escape the worst of the cyclone but people were being advised to move away from rivers and the sea. Located about a quarter of the way from Australia to Hawaii, Vanuatu has a population of 267,000 spread over 65 islands. About 47,000 people live in the capital, Port Vila.
Alice Clements, an official with the UN's children's agency Unicef, told the BBC that the capital had become a ghost town as people took shelter. Earlier on Friday, Alice Clements, an official with the UN children's agency Unicef, told the BBC that the capital had become a ghost town as people took shelter.
"The winds have intensified and the skies have totally clouded over, you can't see the sea or the hills now. Foliage is thrashing around and the wind and rain has been torrential," she said."The winds have intensified and the skies have totally clouded over, you can't see the sea or the hills now. Foliage is thrashing around and the wind and rain has been torrential," she said.
"People are anxious, it's been a very long time since Vanuatu has seen a cyclone this big." "People are anxious; it's been a very long time since Vanuatu has seen a cyclone this big."
She said that the government has been putting out constant radio updates urging people to seek shelter in schools and churches, and put in place a telephone relay system to contact areas that have poor radio coverage. The Vanuatu country director for Save the Children, Tom Skirrow, told the AFP news agency that he was concerned about families living in shanty town areas.
The Vanuatu country director for Save the Children, Tom Skirrow, told AFP he was concerned about families living in shanty town areas.
"Thousands of families are living in makeshift, flimsy houses which will not withstand the immense winds and rain we're expecting. Families need to urgently evacuate to safe buildings or the results could be catastrophic.""Thousands of families are living in makeshift, flimsy houses which will not withstand the immense winds and rain we're expecting. Families need to urgently evacuate to safe buildings or the results could be catastrophic."
Pam is expected to weaken as it moves southwards just off the east coast of the island chain, which has a population of about 246,000.
Are you in the region and preparing for Cyclone Pam? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in the region and preparing for Cyclone Pam? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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