CYCLONE PAM, a category-five storm that hit Vanuatu on Friday and Saturday, destroyed homes, roads, power, and water supplies, and killed 24 people. The death toll is, however, expected to rise when communication is re-established between all 83 islands. In more remote areas, entire villages are said to have been wiped out by the tropical storm.
Oxfam country director in Vanuatu’s capital, Colin Collet van Rooyen, explained to The New York Times that “Vanuatu has a cyclone season, but local residents say they have never experienced anything like this.” The winds reached up to 250km/h (150mph) and destroyed 90% of the buildings in the country’s capital.
