Cyclone Ivy kills one
At least one person died when Cyclone Ivy tore through Vanuatu last week, causing ”moderate to severe damage” in the South Pacific Island chain, senior Australian and New Zealand officials said today.
The powerful tropical cyclone, packing winds of up to 120 miles per hour, ripped through the island on Thursday and Friday, destroying homes, tearing down trees and disrupting telecommunications and electrical supplies.
One person died in the storm, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Nine Network television today, adding that no other casualties had been reported. He provided no details.
A New Zealand air force surveillance flight found ”moderate to severe damage in an area about 40 kilometres (25 miles) across,” on the southwest of the island of Ambrym and smaller islands nearby, New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said.
“The crew has reported that thatched roofs have been torn from houses. Debris and litter are extensive, and trees are either stripped bare or uprooted,” it said. Damage to other islands was “fairly minor”.
Telecommunications and electricity supplies were still disrupted in some parts of the archipelago, the ministry report said.
New Zealand Associate Foreign Minister Marian Hobbs promised to send 3,000 emergency relief packs, immediately for islanders whose homes have been devastated.
Downer said Australia will also send assistance.
“We’re planning to send some tarpaulins and blankets and other equipment to try to help the people of Vanuatu at this difficult time,” he told Nine Network.
The nearby French territory of New Caledonia said it would dispatch a Puma helicopter to carry out surveillance of the area and transport relief supplies for aid groups.
Vanuatu, a nation of 200,000 people, lies 2,250 kilometres (1,400 miles) northeast of Sydney, Australia.
Formerly known as the New Hebrides, it gained independence from Britain and France in 1980 after 74 years of joint colonial rule.
