Tropical Cyclone Pam hits Vanuatu

Relief workers reported “unbelievable destruction” after Tropical Cyclone Pam smashed into the capital of Vanuatu, the Australian Red Cross said on Saturday, according to CNN.

The Australian Red Cross said via Twitter that “humanitarian needs will be enormous. Many people have lost their homes. Shelter, food and water (are) urgent priorities” in Port Vila.

Meteorologists said the storm has since weakened somewhat, but it was still pounding the islands after hours of fierce winds and torrential rain.

Pam, one of the strongest storms seen in the South Pacific in years, earlier made a direct hit on the capital, raising fears of mass destruction.

The Vanuatu Meteorological Services warned of “very destructive hurricane force winds” of 250 kilometers per hour in Shefa and Tafea provinces, with several others facing “very rough to phenomenal seas with heavy swells”.

The capital, the biggest city in the Vanuatu island chain, sits on the coastline, which is vulnerable to storm surges during powerful cyclones.

Tropical Cyclone Pam is the strongest storm to make landfall since the devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2013.

 Chloe Morrison, an emergency communications director for the Christian humanitarian organisation World Vision, told CNN that she could see some light between her boarded-up windows but it was still hard to see the totality of the destruction outside the house where she and seven others huddled in a back room during the storm.

“Seven hours hunkered down and it's still not safe to go outside”. she said. “The winds are still really howling. We're really lucky to be in a concrete house”.

Part of the tin roof twisted off the house and landed by one of the windows, she said. She also noted that two trees outside didn't get uprooted, but they had not one bit of fruit or any leaves remaining.

Despite the “quite terrifying ordeal”. Morrison said, their house didn't have any damage.

Through the night, the wind and torrential rain made it sound like an angry ocean was just outside their doors, she said.

World Vision, which says it's been based in Vanuatu for more than 30 years, said its emergency assessment team would head out to view the damage when it is safe.

The staff helped prepare communities on the islands for the cyclone by positioning water, food, blankets, tarpaulins, and shelter, hygiene and kitchen kits in key places, it said, as well as advising on disaster preparedness. Residents have been advised to seek shelter in places such as churches, universities and schools.