The Lord Mayor of Luganville town in Vanuatu, Peter Patty says his biggest fear now is how they can rebuild as Cyclone Harold is already causing devastating damage in the northern town.
The Category 5 Tropical Cyclone couldn’t come at a worst time for Vanuatu, as it braces for the COVID-19 pandemic.
More people in the northern parts of Vanuatu and Santo in particular are moving to evacuation centres as TC Harold has increased in intensity, with sustained winds close to its centre of 215km/h according to the Vanuatu Meteorology Service.
Speaking to Island Business this morning, Lord Mayor Patty says people living around the Pepsi area have lost their homes to flooding and two evacuation centres are already full, with plans to open more.
“My biggest fear now is how can we rebuild and revive businesses back to normal.
“This is one of the worst crises— to experience a cyclone in the middle of a pandemic that we have yet to recover from.”
While Vanuatu has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, precautionary measures have closed its ports and businesses.
Mayor Patty says all businesses in the town has been shut since Friday, after advice and warnings from the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD).
While the national State of Emergency conditions due to COVID-19 pandemic remain in place, the unpredictable intensity of TC Harold has forced the Government to remove the limit on social gatherings to five or less people, as many people will be expected to assemble together in evacuation centers.
Abraham Nasak director of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in Vanuatu announced yesterday that the rule on social gatherings has been removed and advised people to move to safer shelters, given that the rule of 5 in social gatherings has been lifted.
The Pacifica Weather & Tropical cyclone updates reported this morning that the eye of the Category 5 severe Tropical Cyclone Harold is just offshore to the West of Espiritu Santo.
Reports from a family at Nakere Village on South Santo revealed that the whole village has moved to an evacuation centre in a nearby school.
Kensly Micah from the NDMO on Santo says they all they can do is stay indoors and try to stay safe.
“We could not contact officers from different area councils around Sanma Province at this point of time.
“This is unpredicted and I must say there was less preparations as to how we can prepare for a tropical cyclone because much focus was on COVID-19,” Micah said.
The VMGD continues to release early warnings and red alert remains for Sanma Province, Penama, and Malampa.
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