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Vanuatu

Sitrep 2 Vanuatu: TC Lola Response, 27 October 2023

Attachments

Main Highlights

  • Tropical Cyclone LOLA made landfall on the eastern shores of Maewo and Pentecost islands on the night of 25 October as a category 4 storm with 205 km/HR winds.

  • Affected areas are in yellow. Priority 1 areas are in red.

  • Very limited communications with the affected areas.

  • Coastal areas are badly hit.

  • VRCS will be sending shelter items, initially tarps and possibly shelter tool kits as well for immediate distribution.

  • Stocks to be transported are mainly from VRCS HQ.

  • NDMO has completed and signed the National Cyclone Support Plan

  • Aerial assessment of Priority 1 areas by RAAF completed yesterday.

  • HELPR-1 is scheduled to be enroute to Pentecostal Island with NDMO personnel and supplies.

  • Initial response by VCRS, NDMO, and other partner agencies underway.

  • Rapid assessment of affected areas underway by VCRS volunteers in Torba province.

  • SG of VCRS was on flight this morning to Pentecostal Island to assess damage and priorities for response.

  • NDMO chartered supply ship is being loaded with VRCS NFIs supplies and will be leaving for Pentecost Island tomorrow and should arrive on Sunday.

  • VRCS participating in inter-cluster meetings to coordinate relief efforts with partners.

  • Mobilizing 10 volunteers for two-week deployments to Pentecostal Island to begin assessments, distribution of relief items, and working on shelters.

  • Technical orientation on how to use shelter items will be provided by the VRCS volunteers who have completed training on shelter kits during TC Judy-Kevin and the inclusion of printed IEC material

Situation Overview

With the communication outages, with better weather, local provincial officers and local area councils have taken the lead in the Priority 1 areas for the initial response have started with rapid assessments.

They will be supported by NDMO personnel from Port Vila. EOCs in the province have also been activated and now operating in the coordination of responding in their respective areas.

Local authorities have reported the urgent need to clear blocked roads and also the need of supplies including: drinking water, tarpaulins, medicine, and shelter materials and tools. Telecommunications within the affected areas were still not functioning and officials and other responding groups are relying on Star link to communicate. Telecom providers Vodafone and Digicel have been assessing damages and in the process of restoring their respective networks.

Cyclone Lola struck while Vanuatu is recovering from the twin cyclones which occurred in March of this year at a time when the country was already recovering from twin cyclones in March.